Guardians Make Major Announcement About Shane Bieber's Rehab

Shane Bieber has been taking massive strides to get back on the mound for the Cleveland Guardians after undergoing Tommy John surgery over a year ago.

His MLB return is still a little ways off, but he's about to take a monumental step in his recovery this week.

The Guardians announced on Sunday morning that the former Cy Young winner is scheduled to pitch for the Akron RubberDucks (Double-A) this Thursday, being the next step of his rehab assignment.

Shane Bieber is scheduled to pitch for Double-A Akron on Thursday.

If all goes well, you could see him in a Guardians uniform in about four weeks, give or take a few days.
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) June 1, 2025

This exciting news comes 24 hours after Bieber pitched in his first competitive game since the beginning of the 2024 season.

On Saturday, also Bieber's 30th birthday, he pitched in an Arizona League Complex (ACL) game and looked incredibly sharp in that appearance.

He only pitched 2.1 innings and threw 19 pitches, but gave up just one hit, issued no walks, allowed zero runs, and struck out five batters. Plus, the only hit he gave up was an infield hit.

Shane Bieber throws a pitch — Mar 2, 2024; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

With the pace Bieber is currently on, he could return to Cleveland's major league roster at some point soon, either at the end of June or the very beginning of July.

Bieber has shown himself to be one of the best pitchers on the planet when he's at his best. He may not look like the dominant version of himself that he was in 2024, but there's a spot waiting for Bieber in Cleveland's rotation the second he's ready and healthy.

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