The 30-year-old right-hander came to Toronto through a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. He helped the team make an unexpected run to the World Series by starting important playoff games. But Shane Bieber’s future with the Blue Jays is now up in the air because other teams are circling him, knowing how valuable he is as a pitcher who is still recovering from major surgery.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic has made a bold prediction about how much Bieber will be worth on the market this offseason. Bowden’s analysis says that Bieber will probably get a three-year, $75 million deal, even though there is a lot of risk involved in his recovery time. This assessment surprises many.

Bieber only had 0.7 bWAR in 2025 and started just seven regular-season games for Toronto after having Tommy John surgery in April 2024. Bowden even points out that “his stuff is a tick down” from his dominant 2020 Cy Young Award season, but “most pitchers coming back from Tommy John are much better a second year removed from the surgery.” This makes Bieber an excellent investment with a lot of room for growth.

Bowden’s contract predication is in line with what other pitchers have signed recently.

Seth Lugo got a two-year, $46 million deal. Sonny Gray and Nathan Eovaldi both signed three-year deals worth $75 million, which is the same amount that Bowden thinks Bieber will get. The insider mentions that these salary comparisons are good benchmarks. Bieber’s contribution in the postseason made this price fair.

He started Games 3 and 7 of the American League Championship Series, which helped Toronto’s rotation stay steady at important times. However, any long-term deal will probably include an opt-out clause, granting Bieber flexibility to test free agency again if his velocity and command fully return.

The Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are both trying hard to get Bieber to leave Toronto. Both have the money to spend on players and know that the pitcher could have a big impact on the franchise once he is healthy again.

The Red Sox still have questions about their rotation, while the Mets are trying to make enormous improvements to their starting staff. These teams know that Bieber’s 2020 Cy Young pedigree and proven playoff toughness are worth more than his recent injury history. This sets the stage for a competitive offseason battle to see if the Blue Jays can keep the pitcher who helped define their season.

Trey Yesavage leads the Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have shown that their depth goes beyond just veterans. Rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage turned out to be an unexpected key player in their quest for the World Series ring, giving a breakthrough performance at the most important time.

The September call-up was in charge of Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He showed a calmness and skill that belied his lack of major league experience.

Yesavage pitched seven innings, struck out twelve batters, and gave up only one run. This set a World Series rookie record and showed that Toronto could win. His dominance kept the Dodgers off-balance all night, which let the Blue Jays’ strong offense stay in charge from the first pitch. The rookie’s performance showed that Toronto’s strength also comes from players who grew up in the city and could handle a lot of pressure.

From the first at-bat, Toronto’s offense was too much for Los Angeles.

Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both hit home runs on their first pitches, giving them an early lead that they couldn’t lose. Ernie Clement’s sacrifice fly, Addison Barger’s hit that drove in a run, and Bo Bichette’s contribution all helped Toronto stay ahead in the game.

Plus, the seventh inning was especially bad for the Dodgers because of their mistakes and the Blue Jays’ good execution.

The 6-1 win put Toronto one win away from winning its first ring since 1993. Now, as Game 6 returns to Rogers Centre, if Toronto can keep up their Games 4 & 5 tempo, the title seems inevitable.