Brewers Should Take Flier On Blue Jays Ex-Cy Young Looking For Resurgence For 2026

The Milwaukee Brewers currently have the best record in Major League Baseball. They have won eight consecutive games and have opened up a five-game lead in the National League Central over the second place Chicago Cubs.

They didn't do much at the trade deadline, but didn't exactly need to go overboard given their regular season success. They should be an interesting team to watch down the stretch as they try to capture their third consecutive NL Central title and fourth in the last five years.

In the offseason, they might need some starting pitching help, as Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff are free agents. They'll still have Freddy Peralta and Jacob Misiorowski, so they won't be too desperate, but they'll need to find a way to replace the other arms if they depart in free agency. Perhaps they could take a flier on Shane Bieber, who has a player option for 2026 that he might decline.

Brewers Should Take Flier On Ex-Cy Young

Mar 28, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Bieber went down early in the 2024 season and underwent Tommy John surgery that he still hasn't quite made his way back from yet. For his career, he owns a 3.22 ERA and 1.115 WHIP.

The Cleveland Guardians re-signed him to a one-year, $14 million contract last offseason, but when they sold at the trade deadline, they sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays. Bieber is getting close to making his return to big-league action.

Because Bieber will have missed most of this season recovering from his injury, he might come at a discounted rate if he opts out of his contract. This could be good news for the small-market Brewers, who typically don't spend big in free agent but could take a chance on him as a value option.

When healthy, the two-time All-Star can still be one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball. He won a Cy Young award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He also won a Gold Glove in 2022.

The Brewers could have a great opportunity to bolster their rotation, especially if Woodruff and Quintana depart in free agency. If Bieber returns to form, he could be the ideal choice to replace the potentially departed starters when the offseason gets underway.

It will certainly be interesting to see what Milwaukee decides to do when the offseason comes around. They will need pitching.

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