In a week where Cleveland Guardians fans hoped for some good news, the headlines brought anything but. Shane Bieber, the Guardians’ ace who was on the brink of a comeback, hit a major snag as he transitioned his rehab to Double-A Akron. Just 48 hours after the announcement, the Guardians revealed that Bieber would not progress with the rehab assignment as planned. Instead, he reported soreness in his arm post-bullpen session, setting off alarms throughout the organization.
This situation takes a more concerning turn given the history here—forearm soreness can sometimes be a harbinger of significant arm trouble. Bieber, who already went under the knife for Tommy John surgery last year after injuring his ulnar collateral ligament, finds himself facing more uncertainty. Dr. Keith Meister, who performed the surgery, along with other team doctors, will assess Bieber to determine the path forward.
To rewind a bit, Bieber exploded onto the scene in the late 2010s, dazzling fans and foes alike. His MVP performance at the 2019 All-Star Game laid the groundwork for a sensational 2020 campaign, where he snatched the American League Cy Young award along with a pitching Triple Crown. However, the shine of those achievements has been met with the shadows of injuries, starting with a shoulder setback in 2021 that truncated his season. Though he bounced back for a resilient 200-inning season in 2022 and added another 123 innings in 2023, his elbow ultimately faltered.
The Guardians had been poised to welcome back a piece of their rotation puzzle, with Bieber expected to make about 15 starts if his rehab had wrapped by early July. Though it would have been ambitious to anticipate the exact form that dazzled in 2022, Bieber’s return could have fortified a rotation in dire need of experienced hands.
Now, however, the Guardians and their fans are left in a precarious wait-and-watch mode. While there’s hope Bieber’s setback might only mean a minor delay, there’s no ignoring the ominous trail that forearm soreness can leave. Statistics shed light on this, notably pointing out that nearly 20% of MLB pitchers who report such symptoms eventually undergo Tommy John surgery. Though Bieber didn’t initially go through this diagnostic process before his first surgery, he admitted to discomfort during his Opening Day start, a piece of history now too poignant to overlook.
Despite these concerns, Bieber’s recent outing in the Arizona Complex League offered a glimpse of hope with a solid performance. However, as reality sets in, there’s a sober recognition that it might be the last of Bieber on the field for a while, leaving the Guardians to recalibrate yet again amidst roster uncertainties.
