Blue Jays make first major move of the offseason, reportedly retaining playoff star

Bieber fever will continue north of the border. MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported Tuesday night that starting pitcher Shane Bieber has opted into his $16-million player option for 2026 to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays. Bieber will hit free agency after the 2026 season.

Blue Jays will get another year with Shane Bieber in the rotation

Bieber was acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2025 trade deadline when Toronto sent Khal Stephen, their number 5 prospect, to the Cleveland Guardians. The 2020 Pitching Triple Crown winner was on the verge of returning from Tommy John Surgery before Toronto brought him over.

Shane would make his Blue Jays debut on August 22 against the Miami Marlins, where he threw six innings, striking out nine batters with one earned run. He would finish the regular season with a 4-2 record, a 3.57 ERA, and 37 strikeouts in seven starts.

In the postseason, Bieber made five appearances and proved why he was important to get at the trade deadline. The two-time All Star pitched 18.2 innings with a 3.86 ERA, 18 strikeouts and six walks. His most impressive start came during Game 4 of the World Series, where he limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run en route to the Blue Jays' 6-2 win to even the series.

With Bieber's opting in, the starting rotation maintains most of its strength that helped take Toronto to the World Series. As of now, the most likely candidates for the starting rotation would be Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios. The fifth spot remains up in the air and could be filled with names like Eric Lauer, Louis Varland (with former experience as a starter), or Ricky Tiedemann if Toronto decides to call up a prospect.

Regardless, one of Toronto's biggest questions (and maybe concerns) has been settled, and Shane Bieber is here to run it back with the Blue Jays.