Guardians' Shane Bieber: Earns win with dominant performance
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Bieber (6-6) earned the win Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits over six innings against the Reds. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Bieber allowed only one hit over the first four innings and didn't surrender a run until the sixth, after Cleveland had already jumped out to a four-run lead. The right-hander had given up four runs in each of his last three starts coming in, and it marked his first start with one or fewer runs allowed since June 29. Bieber now carries a 4.09 ERA through two September starts to go along with a 12:1 K:BB.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Shaky in return to rotation
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Bieber came away with a no-decision in Friday's 9-8 win over the Orioles, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five.
Two of the runs charged to Bieber in his first big-league start since July 9 scored on a wild pitch in the second inning and his own throwing error in the third. The veteran right-hander had some good moments too though, escaping that third-inning jam with a double-play grounder and a strikeout, and he left the mound after throwing 52 of 81 pitches for strikes. It's been a tough, injury-plagued season for Bieber, whose 3.91 ERA and 12.5 WHIP are his highest marks since he was a rookie in 2018, but he'll likely make one more start before the regular season is through, on the road next weekend in Detroit.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Slated to start Friday
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Bieber (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Friday's game against the Orioles at Progressive Field, MLB.com reports.
Guardians manager Terry Francona confirmed that Bieber will be cleared to make his first start for Cleveland since the All-Star break after the right-hander threw a bullpen session Tuesday in Kansas City without incident. Francona said Bieber will be limited to around 80 pitches Friday, though that workload could still be enough for the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner to reach the five innings he would need to qualify for a win. Bieber has been on the shelf throughout the second half with right elbow inflammation.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Tracking toward return this week
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Bieber (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday and, if it goes well, he could return from the 60-day injured list to make a start later this week, MLB.com reports.
The Guardians don't currently have a starter listed for Thursday's home game against the Orioles, so that start could fall to Bieber if he feels good during Tuesday's mound session. In his second and likely final rehab start this past Sunday at Triple-A Columbus, Bieber fanned seven and gave up no hits and three walks over 3.2 scoreless frames. He threw 64 pitches in the outing, so the righty would be relatively limited from a pitch-count perspective in his first start back, especially if he ends up getting the nod Thursday on three days' rest. Bieber has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Goes 3.2 innings in rehab start
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Bieber (elbow) struck out four and was charged with two runs (one earned) over 3.2 frames on no hits and one walk in his first rehab start with Double-A Akron on Tuesday.
Bieber was responsible for three runners reaching base, as he walked one and hit another two batters with pitches. Despite not reaching four innings, Bieber still managed to get his pitch count up to 50 on Tuesday. Bieber -- who has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation -- appears to be in line for one more rehab start before returning from the 60-day injured list.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Rehab start set for Tuesday
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Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Tuesday with Double-A Akron.
Sidelined since the All-Star break with right elbow inflammation, Bieber was cleared to face hitters last week and has now graduated to the final phase of his recovery program. He's expected to toss three innings or around 55 pitches Tuesday, per Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Guardians manager Terry Francona has previously mentioned Sept. 20 as a loose target for Bieber's return from the 60-day injured list, so based on that timeline, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner could make two starts in the minors prior to being activated. Bieber went 5-6 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 95:33 K:BB in 117 innings with Cleveland this season prior to being shut down with the injury.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Cleared to face hitters
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Bieber (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters Thursday with High-A Lake County, MLB.com reports.
Bieber has been cleared to advance to the next phase of his rehab program for his right elbow injury after he threw an "up-and-down" bullpen session Monday without incident. If his upcoming live session goes well Thursday, Bieber could then be cleared to begin a rehab assignment. Guardians manager Terry Francona said Monday that he's tentatively targeting Sept. 20 for both Bieber and Triston McKenzie (elbow) to make their returns from the 60-day injured list, per Brian Dullik of The Associated Press.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Throwing all pitches off mound
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Bieber (elbow) threw all of his pitches during his latest bullpen session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Bieber's next bullpen session will be an "up and down" to simulate the breaks in between innings. If that goes off without a hitch, he's expected to be cleared to face hitters. Bieber has been sidelined since mid-July with right elbow inflammation, but he and the Guardians are still holding out hope that he could rejoin the rotation before the end of the season.
Bieber (elbow) extended his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet as of last Thursday, but he hasn't been cleared for mound work, MLB.com reports.
While Bieber appears to be making progress in his recovery from right elbow inflammation, he's moving slowly through his throwing program since initiating it Aug. 2. The Guardians maintain hope that Bieber will be ready to contribute at some point next month, but based on where he currently stands in his recovery from the elbow issue, he might not be ready to go when he's first eligible to return from the 60-day injured list Sept. 10.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Starts throwing again
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Bieber (elbow) was cleared to begin a throwing program Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Bieber has reportedly been pain-free after picking up the ball for the first time since the All-Star break, but he's likely been limited to playing light catch thus far. The right-hander will gradually increase the distance of his long-toss throwing before graduating to bullpen sessions and then facing live hitters. Considering he still has multiple hurdles to clear in his recovery from right elbow inflammation and was placed on the 60-day injured list, Bieber won't be ready to rejoin the Guardians until around the middle of September in a best-case scenario.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Facing two-week shutdown
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Bieber (elbow) will go two weeks without throwing but won't require surgery, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bieber landed on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to right elbow inflammation and is considered week-to-week. While he'll require more than the minimum of 15 days on the IL given the length of his shutdown, it's encouraging that he won't require a procedure. A better idea of his return timetable will likely come into focus once he's able to resume throwing.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Diagnosed with elbow inflammation
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Bieber's official diagnosis which sent him to the injured list is right elbow inflammation, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bieber was initially reported to be dealing with a forearm injury, but the issue is evidently with his elbow. The fact that he's merely been diagnosed with inflammation rather than a strain is an encouraging sign, though there's still the possibility of a more serious injury, as he doesn't yet have a clear timeline for his return.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Bound for injured list
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Bieber (forearm) was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Bieber underwent an MRI on his forearm Friday, and while the Guardians have yet to announce any specific diagnosis for the righty, he's evidently dealing with something serious enough to keep him out for at least 15 days. Forearm issues are sometimes the first sign of an injury which requires major surgery, so there's a chance Bieber is out far longer than that. Michael Kelly was recalled to take his place on the roster,
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Getting MRI on forearm
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Bieber is getting an MRI on his forearm and will not make a start this turn through the rotation, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
This is ominous news, as Bieber had been tentatively scheduled to start Monday but can now be considered out indefinitely. Manager Terry Francona said Bieber's forearm has been irritable the last few weeks and he has struggled to bounce back from his last three or four starts, which is why his pitch count has been lower. Logan Allen will start Tuesday in Pittsburgh and the plan is to do a bullpen game Monday.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Wild in no-decision
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Bieber allowed four runs on six hits and five walks while striking out four over 4.2 innings, taking a no-decision versus Atlanta on Tuesday.
Bieber's five walks were a season high, and this was just the third time in 18 starts he's failed to complete five innings. He's given up 13 runs over 23 innings during his four-start winless skid. The right-hander now has a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 89:33 K:BB through 110.2 innings this season. He's tentatively projected for a favorable home start versus the Royals this weekend.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Dominant over six frames
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Bieber did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two hits and one walk over six scoreless innings against the Royals. He struck out eight.
Bieber was locked in Thursday, retiring 10 of the first 12 batters he faced. Despite his efforts, the right-hander was unable to secure his sixth victory of the season, as Trevor Stephan blew the lead in the eighth inning and the Royals went on to win in the 10th. Bieber has now recorded eight strikeouts in each of his last two starts and wrapped up a solid June in which he logged a 2.90 ERA to go along with a 32:7 K:BB. However, he only has one win to show for it over those five June starts.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Falters in sixth inning
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Bieber (5-5) took the loss Friday, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks over five-plus innings against Milwaukee. He struck out eight.
The right-hander gave up a run on two hits during the opening frame but didn't allow a hit across the next four innings. He ran into trouble in the sixth, however, and surrendered a single and a double before Willy Adames ended his night with a three-run homer. It's the second straight outing Bieber has faded late after pitching well through most of the game, and he's allowed nine runs and four long balls between those two contests. The 28-year-old has a 3.69 ERA and 77:27 K:BB across 100 innings this year and tentatively lines up to face the Royals next week.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Fades in eighth inning
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Bieber (5-4) allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five over 7.1 innings to take the loss Saturday versus the Diamondbacks.
Bieber pitched better than his final line would indicate, as he was tagged for eighth-inning home runs by Jake McCarthy and Corbin Carroll. This was the third time this season that Bieber's allowed multiple homers in a start, and the first time he's given up three long balls. He's had only three starts allowing five-plus runs while pitching to a 3.51 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 69:25 K:BB over 95 innings this season. Bieber's tentatively lined up for a home start versus the Brewers next week, though the Guardians have a vacancy in their rotation with Triston McKenzie (elbow) out, which could allow Bieber to potentially move up a day to face the Athletics.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Blanks Astros
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Bieber (5-3) earned the victory in Sunday's 5-0 win over the Astros, striking out nine while allowing three hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings.
Bieber tossed a gem Sunday, tying his season bests in strikeouts and hits allowed. Though he's fallen to a career-low 6.57 K/9 in 2023, Bieber has allowed three runs or fewer in 12 of his 14 appearances to earn a 3.29 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. Bieber's next start is tentatively scheduled to come during this weekend's road series against the Diamondbacks.
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Guardians' Shane Bieber: Gives up season-high seven runs
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Bieber did not factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks over four innings during a 12-8 win over the Orioles. He struck out four.
Bieber finished with season-worst marks in innings pitched, hits allowed and runs allowed, but he was let off the hook thanks to a five-run fifth by the Guardians' offense. It was by far the worst outing of the campaign for the right-hander, who entered the contest with a 3.04 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across his first 11 starts (71 innings). His decline in strikeouts this season -- he currently has just 53 strikeouts across 75 frames -- portends more regression to come with the ratios.
