Blue Jays New Pitcher Shane Bieber Could Turn Free Agency Upside Down

The new addition of the Toronto Blue Jays could make waves in free agency if he continues to pitch well.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With the final month of the season nearly here, the Toronto Blue Jays have to be very pleased with how they have performed so far in 2025. 

The Blue Jays have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball and are currently in first place in the American League East standings. While the team did have a nice winter on paper, jumping the New York Yankees and taking the AL East crown wasn't something that too many people predicted. 

Toronto has been led by a very talented offense this year, but they also recently got aggressive to improve some areas of need at the trade deadline. With the team seeking to be a true championship contender, improving their rotation and bullpen were the main goals. 

They were able to accomplish that by bringing in a few arms, but none was more notable than 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber who could change the outlook for the team in 2025. However, while he should be able to help this campaign, his future with the team is unknown. 

Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com recently wrote about how important the stretch run is going to be for Bieber, and how his performance will likely dictate the upcoming free agency cycle. 

Will Shane Bieber Opt Out of His Player Option?

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

While the sample size has been small so far, Bieber is trending toward pitching like the ace that Toronto brought him in to be. In the minors, he had strong command right away, which is something pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery usually struggle with.

In his first start in the Majors, he dazzled against the Miami Marlins and proved he could be exactly what the Blue Jays are looking for at the top of the rotation. Even though the team does has some high-end arms already, they were lacking a clear-cut Game 1 starter for a playoff series. 

When healthy, Bieber has proven he can be exactly that type of pitcher, and there is a very high ceiling for what he can accomplish. However, if he does pitch well, that could result in him looking to test free agency.

"Bieber has a $12 million decision looming this offseason -- he can opt in for a $16 million salary with the Blue Jays next season or take a $4 million buyout and try his luck in free agency for the second straight year. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner seems likely to take the latter route, though that could change if he runs into complications in his return from Tommy John surgery," wrote Harrigan.

Toronto was comfortable taking that type of risk by acquiring Bieber, because if he pitches well and the team has success in October, then there's a good chance he opts out and hits the open market to leave a void in the Blue Jays' rotation.

If that does happen, pitcher of Bieber's caliber should garner a lot of attention, and his free agency status could vault him into being the top starting pitcher on the market this winter.