Tag: John Schneider

Shane Bieber to debut for Blue Jays on Friday after long injury rehab

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to welcome a major addition to their pitching staff. Manager John Schneider confirmed that Shane Bieber will make his debut for the club on Friday against Miami, as first reported by Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.

Bieber, currently on the 60-day injured list, will need to be added to the active roster before that start. Toronto already has a vacancy on its 40-man roster, meaning only an active roster move will be required.

A high-stakes acquisition

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline despite the right-hander not yet completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2024. The move was a gamble, but the organization hopes the former Cy Young winner can anchor a playoff rotation otherwise lacking a clear ace.

Toronto’s staff features proven veterans like Kevin Gausman, José Berrios, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, and Eric Lauer. While the group is solid, Scherzer is pitching at 41-years-old with a lingering thumb issue, and Lauer, despite posting a 2.76 ERA this year, has limited big-league experience the past two seasons. Adding a healthy version of Bieber could change the dynamic entirely.

Bieber’s career arc

Bieber won the American League Cy Young Award in 2020, when he dominated hitters with a 1.63 ERA and a staggering 41.1% strikeout rate during the shortened season. Though his production dipped in subsequent years, he remained a frontline starter.

In 2022, he logged 200 innings with a 2.88 ERA but saw his strikeout rate decline to 25%. By 2023, signs of elbow trouble surfaced, and his ERA climbed to 3.80 before Tommy John surgery shut him down early in 2024.

Now, after months of rehab, Bieber has shown promising signs in the minors. Across 29 innings, he posted a 1.86 ERA with a 34.6% strikeout rate, though his most recent Triple-A outings were less dominant, with his strikeout rate dipping to 24.6%. His fastball velocity has averaged 92.8 mph — a slight tick above recent years but below his 2020 peak of 94.1 mph.

What to expect in Toronto

The Blue Jays aren’t asking Bieber to be perfect right away. With a postseason berth all but secured, the focus is on having him healthy and sharp for October. Schneider has not committed to a six-man rotation, leaving open the possibility that someone shifts to long relief.

The upcoming weeks will be vital for Bieber as he regains form while also weighing his contractual future. At season’s end, he must decide between exercising a $16 million player option for 2026 or opting for a $4 million buyout and testing free agency. His performance down the stretch could make that decision much clearer.

For now, all eyes will be on Friday night in Miami, when Bieber finally makes his long-awaited debut in a Blue Jays uniform.

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Seahawks GM explains why team released Noah Fant despite productive run

Noah Fant’s surprising release from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason had fans and analysts questioning the team’s direction. On Monday, general manager John Schneider pulled back the curtain on what drove the move — and it came down to tough financial decisions.

“He works his tail off, he can run. He’s a good tight end, and he’ll have a very nice, productive year this year,” Schneider said, via The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. “We just felt like… can we use that cash to help our team in a different manner?”

Fant, who was traded to Seattle as part of the blockbuster Russell Wilson deal in 2022, had become a reliable piece in the Seahawks’ offense. But with a projected salary the team felt could be better spent elsewhere, Schneider and the front office chose to let him walk. He signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals worth up to $4.25 million, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

In explaining the choice, Schneider emphasized the organization’s confidence in its depth at tight end following a strong offseason from the position group.

“Are we OK at that position? While we never feel like we’re totally covered, guys did have very strong springs,” he added.

The Bengals, meanwhile, wasted no time capitalizing. After re-signing veteran Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati added Fant to give quarterback Joe Burrow a reliable two-tight end setup — something that’s been missing during the early years of his tenure. Fant joins an offense that’s aiming for greater balance and explosiveness in 2025.

The Seahawks’ decision to part ways wasn’t about performance — it was about value and fit. And for Fant, the fresh start in Cincinnati could turn into an ideal landing spot as he looks to rebound on a prove-it deal in a Super Bowl-caliber offense.

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