Exercising Option for Next Season Makes Sense for Blue Jays Starter

Should a veteran starter for the Toronto Blue Jays exercise an option for 2026?

Apr 16, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It has not been an ideal start to the American League Championship Series for the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite having home field advantage to begin the series, the Blue Jays find themselves in a 2-0 hole heading on the road. 

While there are still games to be played and anything can happen, Toronto will undoubtedly have its back against the wall the rest of the way. It is tough to come back from trailing 2-0 in a series, especially when those two games were at home. 

In Game 3, the Blue Jays will be sending their big summer acquisition to the mound to hopefully help turn things around. At the trade deadline, the trade for former AL Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber was a massive move that came with some risk, but plenty of upside as well.

Due to the right-hander not pitching in 2025 prior to being dealt, it was impossible to know what the team might have received from him production-wise. Fortunately, he has pitched well and will be on the hill in a pivotal Game 3. While he might not have been the ace that the team was hoping for, he has been good. However, that raises an interesting question about what he will do regarding his contract. 

Will Bieber Exercise His Option? 

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After a solid return from injury, the sample size of just seven starts in the regular season, along with a couple in the postseason, has made this a very murky decision for Bieber. With it being a $16 million option for 2026, that is a sizable number for the right-hander and one that might make sense. 

Due to some potentially concerning underlying pitching metrics with a 4.47 FIP, teams likely wouldn't be running to hand him a multi-year deal. If he did opt out, he would receive a $4 million buyout from Toronto, meaning that he would have to receive $12 million from a team to make up the $16 million his current option is worth. 

Barring some sort of magical postseason run into the World Series where he really dominates, exercising the option and running it back with the Blue Jays for a full season makes a lot of sense for the right-hander. 

Toronto would surely like to have him back for 2026 and let him showcase what he can do. Coming back from Tommy John surgery takes time, and exercising a $16 million option for Bieber makes a lot of sense after the season.