Billy Heyen Baseball America recently projected Shane Bieber to get nine figures in a free agent contract. If that’s anywhere near accurate, the Toronto Blue Jays just signed the bargain of the offseason. Signed isn’t quite accurate, though. The Blue Jays were passive in this. Bieber had a $16 million player option in his contract for 2026.
If he opted in, he’d get paid that amount to play next season for Toronto. If Bieber opted out, he’d be a free agent, potentially to earn a multi-year deal worth more than that $16 million per season. Instead, Bieber took the super conservative route and opted in to the option, keeping himself with the Blue Jays for 2026, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand .
MORE: Cubs’ weird decision turned Shota Imanaga into an unexpected free agent It’s unclear what may have been at play here, but it’s a definite surprise. Bieber recovered from Tommy John surgery in time to pitch for the Blue Jays in the latter stages of the regular season after his July trade from the Cleveland Guardians .
In the playoffs, Bieber was a counted-on member of the Toronto pitching rotation. It’s huge news for the Blue Jays that Bieber is sticking around, because he can be the veteran rotation member that they very much appreciated after his acquisition. But the former Cy Young winner also appears to be passing up a payday.
Obviously, athletes can have other priorities, and maybe those show up as time goes on. But for now, all that’s clear is that Bieber is staying put in Toronto. More MLB rumors: Dodgers, Giants predicted to battle for $400 million free agent superstar White Sox make $20 million Luis Robert Jr.
contract decision after trade rumors Eugenio Suarez is looking at 5 possible landing spots Pete Alonso seems likely to stay in the NL East Mets named best free agent fit for Yankees’ 30-year-old star Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News.
Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Source: Sporting News
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