Why Ken Rosenthal was surprised to see Shane Bieber exercise...

Why Ken Rosenthal was surprised to see Shane Bieber exercise contract option

Still reeling from a heartbreaking World Series loss, the Toronto Blue Jays received some positive news for the team’s future. Shane Bieber exercised his player option for 2026. The former Cy Young winner will return to Toronto for the final year of his contract at $16 million. However, Bieber’s choice to opt in caught MLB insider Ken Rosenthal off guard. “I was surprised. People with the Blue Jays were surprised. People in the industry were surprised. You just don’t see this kind of decision very often,” Rosenthal said, per Foul Territory. “He could have declined the option, taken a $4 million buyout – so he’s $4 million ahead. And then, in free agency, I would think three, $50M? Something like that. Three years, $50 million, maybe even more. But for whatever reason, he wants to be in Toronto one more year.” Extension not tied to Shane Bieber’s Blue Jays opt-in Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Bieber returned to the mound in August, pitching for the first time since Tommy John surgery cost him nearly the entire 2024 season. The Blue Jays landed Bieber in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline. The deal was made before the former Triple Crown winner completed his recovery. Rosenthal wondered if the rehab played a role in Bieber’s decision, suggesting the pitcher trusted the Blue Jays’ medical staff. “And my initial thought also was well, OK, perhaps an extension is coming. But my understanding is that there’s no extension as part of this. It really hasn’t even been discussed. It has not been a motivator for him in making this decision,” Rosenthal said. “So, it’s curious. I don’t exactly know what Shane Bieber was thinking. Obviously he liked it there… But he still could have leveraged that into, ‘ah, one or two more years, guys. Let’s do it.’ At least to this point, he hasn’t done that.” Bieber pitched well in seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays. He made five postseason appearances for Toronto and two in the World Series. While he got the win in Game 4, Bieber was on the mound in the 11th inning of Game 7 when Will Smith hit the go-ahead home run. The Blue Jays lost the championship after coming within two outs of their first World Series title in 32 years. Jeff Hoffman allowed a game-tying ninth-inning homer to Miguel Rojas. And Bieber earned the loss after giving up Smith’s game-winning shot.

Still reeling from a heartbreaking World Series loss, the Toronto Blue Jays received some positive news for the team’s future. Shane Bieber exercised his player option for 2026. The former Cy Young winner will return to Toronto for the final year of his contract at $16 million.
However, Bieber’s choice to opt in caught MLB insider Ken Rosenthal off guard. “I was surprised. People with the Blue Jays were surprised. People in the industry were surprised. You just don’t see this kind of decision very often,” Rosenthal said, per Foul Territory.
“He could have declined the option, taken a $4 million buyout – so he’s $4 million ahead. And then, in free agency, I would think three, $50M? Something like that. Three years, $50 million, maybe even more. But for whatever reason, he wants to be in Toronto one more year.”
Extension not tied to Shane Bieber’s Blue Jays opt-in
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Bieber returned to the mound in August, pitching for the first time since Tommy John surgery cost him nearly the entire 2024 season. The Blue Jays landed Bieber in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline. The deal was made before the former Triple Crown winner completed his recovery.
Rosenthal wondered if the rehab played a role in Bieber’s decision, suggesting the pitcher trusted the Blue Jays’ medical staff.
“And my initial thought also was well, OK, perhaps an extension is coming. But my understanding is that there’s no extension as part of this. It really hasn’t even been discussed. It has not been a motivator for him in making this decision,” Rosenthal said.
“So, it’s curious. I don’t exactly know what Shane Bieber was thinking. Obviously he liked it there… But he still could have leveraged that into, ‘ah, one or two more years, guys. Let’s do it.’ At least to this point, he hasn’t done that.”
Bieber pitched well in seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays. He made five postseason appearances for Toronto and two in the World Series. While he got the win in Game 4, Bieber was on the mound in the 11th inning of Game 7 when Will Smith hit the go-ahead home run.
The Blue Jays lost the championship after coming within two outs of their first World Series title in 32 years. Jeff Hoffman allowed a game-tying ninth-inning homer to Miguel Rojas. And Bieber earned the loss after giving up Smith’s game-winning shot.