The Blue Jays have been one of the best teams in baseball over the last few weeks, which puts them in a position to go all in on this year’s team. The Toronto Blue Jays just went in on Shane Bieber.

Bieber, 30, is close to returning from a UCL restructuring surgery. He’s had a few rehab starts already with Cleveland, so the Blue Jays have some sort of idea of what they’re getting. He’s made four rehab starts in the minors, with a 1.59 ERA in 11.1 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk and 21 strikeouts. Regardless, this is a high risk, high reward trade for the Blue Jays, but I wouldn’t sell it short on the Jays’ side.

Shane Bieber is a former Cy Young winner, All-Star, and a premier pitcher in baseball. His last full season came in 2022, where Bieber pitched 200 full innings, with a 2.88 earned run average, striking out 198 batters and finishing with a 13-8 record. Bieber won a gold glove that year and finished 7th in Cy Young voting.

2023 was a bit of a down year for Bieber. He missed some time with some injury issues, but still pitched in 21 games and 120 full innings, finishing the year with a 3.80 earned run average, while striking out 107 and finishing with an even 6-6 record.

Toronto right now has a clubhouse full of veteran pitchers. Scherzer (41), Bassitt (36), Gausman (35), along with Jose Berrios who has put on a lot of miles over his career. Shane Bieber not only adds another veteran presence, but when healthy, is going to be slotted in at the top of the rotation. Max Scherzer has had a nagging thumb injury over the course of the season, and 5th starter Eric Lauer has a lot of bullpen experience, so a starter coming in and one not going out isn’t such a bad thing. Pitching depth headed into the postseason is never a bad thing, especially when “depth” includes the addition of a pitcher like Shane Bieber.

This trade for Toronto isn’t a trade to help them get to the postseason. This is a trade that once they’re there, they can put out some of the best pitchers in baseball to help them compete in a deep postseason run.

Obviously the Jays traded something to get something. Khal Stephen, 22, is one of the biggest breakout pop-up prospects in the minors this year. Stephen has a 2.06 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 91 ⅔ innings while reaching Double-A New Hampshire. Baseball America ranked Stephen the fifth best prospect in the Jays’ system in their midseason update, and said he has “midrotation upside but is more than likely a No. 5 starter with a middle relief floor.”

Toronto definitely took a big swing with this trade, but a lot will have to go wrong for it to be one of the worst deals of this years’ trade deadline. Bieber still has some work to do before he will be major league ready, but as of now it’s a great look on the Blue Jays, getting ready to go deep in the postseason this year.