Guardians ace Shane Bieber blocking out rampant trade rumors

Jun. 16—Shane Bieber is scheduled to start June 17 when the Guardians play the Diamondbacks in Phoenix. With each start, the question "How long before Bieber is traded?" is asked more often.

The MLB trade deadline is Aug. 1. Bieber will become a free agent the day after the 2024 World Series ends unless he signs a new contract with the Guardians or the team that acquires him in trade if a deal is made.

Bieber, 5-3 with a 3.29 ERA in 14 starts, is being paid $10.1 million this season. He pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed three hits in his most recent start when the Guardians blanked the Astros, 5-0, on June 11.

Pitching, specifically starting pitching, has kept the Guardians in contention in the mediocre American League Central Division. They are 32-36, but only 2.5 games behind the 35-34 Twins.

The Guards have scored 87 runs over their last 16 games dating back to May 28. They are 10-6 in that span. Despite the scoring surge, they remain last in the majors with 44 home runs. They rank 27th in runs scored (261).

Bieber would be the logical trade candidate if the Guardians do try to make a swap for more power. To his credit, he isn't pretending the rumors don't exist. And unlike position players that prepare for a game nearly every day, Bieber has four and sometimes five days between starts with plenty of time to think about his future.

"I have a great internal support system, external support system," Bieber said after the Guardians shut out the Astros. "It's my job to be able to block those things out and go out there and ultimately just compete. That's one thing that I love to do, and that's compete against players around the league and against other teams.

"My focus is on my teammates right now and my family and going out there and giving my best each and every day. So it hasn't been that hard. I know it's not a great grab of a line, but it's been pretty easy to focus on what's in front of me right now."

The Guardians' rotation can absorb trading Bieber because Triston McKenzie, Aaron Civale, Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee make a solid four-man rotation. Cal Quantrill, currently on the shelf with right shoulder inflammation, threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session June 14 and is scheduled to throw another bullpen June 17.

The Guardians could wait for Quantrill to be activated from the injured list before trading Bieber. Plus, Gavin Williams is 3-2 in Triple-A Columbus and close to being ready to join the big-league rotation.

The next question after "How long before Bieber is traded?" is "What can the Guardians get for the 28-year-old former Cy Young winner?"

Ken Rosenthal, writing for The Athletic, had a sobering answer to that question after speaking to baseball executives who agreed to be quoted as long as they weren't named in the article.

"I can't say with 100% certainty he's a playoff difference-maker," an executive told Rosenthal. "He may help you get there, but I don't know that he's the answer in the playoffs."

Bieber has lost nearly three mph off his fastball, dropping from 94.1 to 91.2. His strikeouts have had a parallel decrease. He struck out 122 batters in 77 1/3 innings in 2020 when he won the Cy Young Award. A shoulder injury sidelined him in 2021 when he made only 16 starts, but he still struck out 134 batters in 96 2/3 innings.

Last year Bieber struck out 198 batters in 200 innings. This season the ratio is significantly different — 64 Ks in 87 2/3 innings. Consequently, batters are hitting the ball hard off Bieber, although he is yielding just one home run per 11 innings.

The Indians/Guardians have traded pitchers with a year of club control remaining successfully in the past.

They traded Trevor Bauer to the Reds on July 30, 2019 in a three-team deal that netted outfielders Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig, left-handed pitcher Logan Allen (not the Logan Allen that is with the Guardians now), left-hander Scott Moss and infielder Victor Nova. None of the five players acquired in the trade is still with Cleveland.

The Indians traded Corey Kluber to the Rangers in December 2019 for closer Emmanuel Clase. Clase led the majors with 42 saves last year. His 21 saves for 2023 lead both leagues again.

Mike Clevinger was sent to San Diego at the trade deadline in 2020 for current first baseman Josh Naylor, catcher Austin Hedges, Quantrill, infielder/outfielder Gabriel Arias, infielder Owen Miller and minor-league pitcher Joey Cantillo.

Naylor, Quantrill and Arias are on the Guardians' 40-man roster. Cantillo is pitching for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks.