Shane Bieber Excels In First Start After Injury-Shortened 2021 Season

Bieber was taken out after 72 pitches over 4.2 innings, but he looked terrific.

Shane Bieber is the unquestioned ace of the Cleveland Guardians pitching staff and it was SO good to have him healthy, back on the mound to open the 2022 season.

When he's at his best, there are few pitchers in baseball that are as effective as the California-kid the last three years.

Bieber missed almost three months during the 2021 season with a right shoulder injury. He returned for a couple of short September starts, but then shut it down for the rest of the year.

He took a no-decision in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Kansas City.

Bieber went 4.2 innings on Thursday and was taken out after 72 pitches. He gave up one earned run (thanks to a rather generous scoring decision that was ruled a double, even though Amed Rosario dropped the ball in left field) on three hits, recording four strikeouts and no walks.

"I thought he looked really good," Terry Francona said postgame. "Obviously the weather wasn't fun for anybody, but I thought he was really good."

"It started snowing or hailing or whatever is was, that felt kind of familiar dating back to last year," Beiber said postgame, recalling last year's snow-filled opener in Detroit. "Once we were able to get into game action, it kind of just flowed."

It was a cold and windy afternoon, which couldn't have been too much fun to pitch in. But Bieber wouldn't make any excuses.

"It's not fun for sure, but it is what it is ... I felt at home out there, exactly what I needed to feel, confident, ball was coming out of my hand good. Everything stuff-wise on the mound felt right on."

Bieber will likely pitch the series-opener against Cincinnati next Tuesday.

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