The vibe is back for the Blue Jays, 10 years after that crazy post-trade-deadline run
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Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Bieber excited to join Jays, return to mound
TORONTO – Shane Bieber hopes to be a popular pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays down the stretch, but realizes that in his new home, he'll be the second most famous Bieber after Canadian pop icon Justin Bieber. The Blue Jays' Bieber once wore a jersey with 'Not Justin' on the back during a players' weekend in 2019, which prompted Canada's Bieber to don a 'Not Shane Bieber' shirt a few weeks later. 'Well, it turns out I'm probably the second most famous Bieber in most cities,' said the 30-year-old righty who arrived in Toronto on Friday to meet manager John Schneider, his new teammates, coaches and support staff. The Blue Jays acquired Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians before Thursday's trade deadline in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Khal Stephen. Bieber made the 4 1/2-hour drive from Cleveland, where he was put through the ringer by customs officials at the border. Story continues below advertisement 'They shook me down,' Bieber said with a smile. 'It was nothing too crazy. Once I got there, we got out of the car and explained the situation. I got my papers and made my way.' Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy When will Bieber, who underwent Tommy John surgery on April 12, 2024, make his way to the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays? Last Tuesday, he made his fourth rehab start, this time for double-A Akron with a four-inning, 59-pitch outing, giving up three hits, including a homer. He is slated to pitch Sunday for triple-A Buffalo and hopes to go five innings and 70 to 75 pitches. After his next outing, he and the Blue Jays will determine what's next. 'The medical staff in Cleveland adopted (a one-game-at-a-time) mentality, and I think these guys have as well, and I know that they're gonna take great care of me,' Bieber said. 'Like I said, I feel great.' Story continues below advertisement Bieber threw a light bullpen session for Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker before Friday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals. 'I'm most pleased with not thinking about my health, and that says a lot about how far I've come post-surgery, where my body's at, where my arm's at,' Bieber said. 'I'm focused on ramping up to compete in the big leagues, and that's a fun place to be. That's what I've missed.' Bieber did his homework as to what to expect after Tommy John surgery. He's bent the ear of former teammates Matt Boyd and Alex Cobb, who both made strong recoveries from Tommy John surgery. He'll bring some post-season experience to the American League East-leading Blue Jays. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner has pitched in the playoffs twice, in his Cy Young season and again in 2022. 'My initial reaction was I was excited,' he said of being traded to the Blue Jays. 'I wasn't totally anticipating it, but I wasn't shocked.' How the Blue Jays fit Bieber into the starting rotation when he's ready remains to be seen. The newcomer, however, is open to a six-pitcher rotation if Schneider and Walker decide to ease Bieber back and give the veteran staff some rest. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Story continues below advertisement
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bieber excited to join Jays, return to mound after surgery
TORONTO – Shane Bieber hopes to be a popular pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays down the stretch, but realizes that in his new home, he'll be the second most famous Bieber after Canadian pop icon Justin Bieber. The Blue Jays' Bieber once wore a jersey with 'Not Justin' on the back during a players' weekend in 2019, which prompted Canada's Bieber to don a 'Not Shane Bieber' shirt a few weeks later. 'Well, it turns out I'm probably the second most famous Bieber in most cities,' said the 30-year-old righty who arrived in Toronto on Friday to meet manager John Schneider, his new teammates, coaches and support staff. The Blue Jays acquired Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians before Thursday's trade deadline in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Khal Stephen. Bieber made the 4 1/2-hour drive from Cleveland, where he was put through the ringer by customs officials at the border. 'They shook me down,' Bieber said with a smile. 'It was nothing too crazy. Once I got there, we got out of the car and explained the situation. I got my papers and made my way.' When will Bieber, who underwent Tommy John surgery on April 12, 2024, make his way to the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays? Last Tuesday, he made his fourth rehab start, this time for double-A Akron with a four-inning, 59-pitch outing, giving up three hits, including a homer. He is slated to pitch Sunday for triple-A Buffalo and hopes to go five innings and 70 to 75 pitches. After his next outing, he and the Blue Jays will determine what's next. 'The medical staff in Cleveland adopted (a one-game-at-a-time) mentality, and I think these guys have as well, and I know that they're gonna take great care of me,' Bieber said. 'Like I said, I feel great.' Bieber threw a light bullpen session for Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker before Friday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals. 'I'm most pleased with not thinking about my health, and that says a lot about how far I've come post-surgery, where my body's at, where my arm's at,' Bieber said. 'I'm focused on ramping up to compete in the big leagues, and that's a fun place to be. That's what I've missed.' Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. Bieber did his homework as to what to expect after Tommy John surgery. He's bent the ear of former teammates Matt Boyd and Alex Cobb, who both made strong recoveries from Tommy John surgery. He'll bring some post-season experience to the American League East-leading Blue Jays. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner has pitched in the playoffs twice, in his Cy Young season and again in 2022. 'My initial reaction was I was excited,' he said of being traded to the Blue Jays. 'I wasn't totally anticipating it, but I wasn't shocked.' How the Blue Jays fit Bieber into the starting rotation when he's ready remains to be seen. The newcomer, however, is open to a six-pitcher rotation if Schneider and Walker decide to ease Bieber back and give the veteran staff some rest. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Marlins' Sandy Alcantara talks of emotional roller coaster amid trade deadline uncertainty
MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcantara admitted that Thursday was one of the hardest days of his career. It has been thought all season that the Miami Marlins could move on from Alcantara amid their rebuilding project, which has included shipping out established players for prospects. And as Thursday's 6 p.m. trade deadline approached, the Marlins ace could not hide his nerves. He sat in front of his television watching baseball programming with his family for most of the day, repeatedly checking his phone to see if he had been traded. 'It was hard, man,' Alcantara said Friday. 'Every time I get on my phone, I see my name. I thought that I was leaving.' Miami opted not to trade its 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner. In their only trade Thursday, the Marlins sent their longest-tenured position player in outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Houston Astros for right-hander Ryan Gusto and two prospects, infielder Chase Jaworsky and outfielder Esmil Valencia. The rest of the team, which has won five straight series and went 15-10 in July, remains intact. Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said Friday that the club's recent success, in part, factored into its approach at the deadline. And manager Clayton McCullough said if there weren't trade scenarios that 'moved the needle for us in the near and the long term,' the Marlins were happy to continue competing with the group they have. Amid what was expected to be a season of finding out which of its relatively inexperienced pieces Miami could build around in the future, the Marlins are third in the National League East at 52-55 and entered Friday seven games behind San Diego for the National League's third wild-card spot. Bendix declined to say how close Miami was to finalizing a trade for Alcantara but noted that the team 'felt really comfortable' with its ultimate decision. 'All of the things that go into building a sustainably successful team were taken into consideration,' he said, 'at a deadline where you have all of these decisions in front of you. It's our job to be disciplined. Disciplined means listening, means having conversations, and then means trying to figure out the best decision to make for every decision point that we have.' Alcantara has played most of his eight-year career in Miami, going 47-64 with a 3.64 ERA in 159 starts while becoming the first Miami player to win the Cy Young Award after a 2022 season in which he pitched a league-high 228 innings and six complete games. Alcantara, 29, missed the 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and hasn't yet returned to form in 2025. He is 6-9 with a 6.36 ERA, and despite being known as one of MLB's most durable starters, has only pitched seven innings once. He said it has taken a new level of mental toughness to play through a season not knowing if he would finish the year with the Marlins. 'It was a little hard because everywhere you go, every time you grab your phone, you see your name on the media,' Alcantara said. 'But you (can't) think too much about it. Just stay focused on everything you can do. I just came here, and if something happened, it just happened.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Alcantara's most recent two starts have been his best, an indicator to both the player and the Marlins that he may be close to returning to his All-Star caliber play. He allowed one run and four hits in a season-high seven innings against the San Diego Padres on July 23, then pitched five shutout innings in a win at St. Louis on Tuesday. 'Sandy is continuing to trend,' McCullough said. 'And we're going to continue to be the beneficiaries of having Sandy for the rest of the season, continuing to get back to the pitcher that we all know Sandy is.' ___ AP MLB:
