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.

However, the best trade of the trade deadline according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden was the Blue Jays trading for Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians. Bieber, 30, hasn’t pitched in MLB this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery early in the 2024 season.