Bieber confident ‘at an all-time high,’ on schedule for return

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Losing staff ace Shane Bieber for 2024 to Tommy John surgery was an emotional punch to the pitching staff as well as to the clubhouse psyche last April. But there is promising news on the horizon.

Bieber threw his fourth bullpen session Feb. 28, and has progressed to throwing five days per week. He’s also extending his throwing distance to 135 feet. Bieber had a day off from throwing Sunday.

“The ball’s just jumping out of his hand,” pitching coach Carl Willis said. “I think it’s a testament to Shane Bieber and him knowing his delivery. We’re excited what we’re seeing now, but we’re still trying to make sure we stay the course and don’t jump the gun.”

The former Cy Young winner, who won the AL Pitching Triple Crown in 2020, remains on schedule to return to the field sometime this summer.

It’s not just his mechanics that look good. Associate manager Craig Albernaz, who met with the media in place of Stephen Vogt, who is attending his daughter’s softball tournament here in the Valley of the Sun, also notes that Bieber’s “confidence is at an all-time high.”

“His ’pens have been right where he needs to be,” Albernaz said. “Free and easy delivery, power in the strike zone. His velocity is there, too, which is nice to see. Right now at every turn, every checkpoint, he’s answered the bell.”

In December, Bieber agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Guardians for 2025 that includes a $16 million player option for 2026 ($4 million buyout). That means it’ll either be a $14 million one-year deal or a $26 million two-year deal, if Bieber exercises the option.

Guardians not ready to make cuts in camp
A look around MLB this weekend sees some teams starting to announce roster cuts about one-third of the way through Spring Training games. The Guardians aren’t there yet, but Willis put it succinctly around the complex on Sunday.

“It’s easy to say it’s early, but Opening Day is 25 days away,” said the man currently in his 42nd Spring Training.

Fresh off a long season that went deep into the ALCS this past fall, the Guardians opened camp with 66 players in Goodyear. Those roster reduction conversations are “always happening,” says Albernaz. But it’s too early yet for the Cleveland clubhouse.

“As far as a tentative date [for cuts], we’re not there yet. We’re still talking through playing time. You want to make sure that you have enough bodies to supplement the other guys coming back in the game and that you’re not overworking your guys,” Albernaz said. “We kind of foresee some moves happening, but nothing immediate.”

Runs coming late
Sure it’s early and, yes, there is an old saying about “Spring Training outs,” where players have successful at-bats without it showing up in the box score. Take José Ramírez. On Friday, the slugger hit three balls on the screws, but went 0-for-3 for some quality trips to the plate camp-wise.

Still, after eight games, trends can show up.

The Guardians have shown a predilection for scoring their runs late in ballgames in Arizona. Consider that in their past five games (entering Sunday) 14 of their 19 runs have come in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings, including all four runs in Saturday’s loss to the Cubs.

No worries about a lack of crossing the plate in earlier frames, says Albernaz.

“For our guys, it’s all about feel. How they feel in the box, are they moving the right way?” he said. “The timing component is the biggest thing and that’s gonna come.”

If nothing else, the early Spring trend shows that those younger players coming into ballgames late are showing what they can do.

“As far as the back-end guys, it just shows the great job our [player development] staff did with our young guys coming up,” Albernaz noted. “It’s good to see those guys come in and take advantage of the opportunity.”