NEW YORK — The Guardians found themselves in a difficult situation before they traded Shane Bieber to Toronto on Thursday, hours before the 6 p.m. deadline. They had spent the better part of two years helping the former Cy Young winner rehab from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in April of 2024.

The Toronto Blue Jays made a big move when they acquired Shane Bieber, but the move could come back to haunt them later on.

Bieber completed a fifth rehab outing on Sunday, three days after his trade to Toronto. “I'm close now,” he said ahead of the outing.