Despite projections north of nine figures, Shane Bieber followed his gut. He passed on a $4 million buyout and exercised a $16 million option to stay with the Blue Jays, per the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Days after the Game 7 gut punch, he took ownership of his role in the loss and spoke about how much he loved the room.
Now he’s backing it up.
The on-field picture
Bieber made seven starts, 40.1 innings, 3.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 37 strikeouts. It was a small sample, but encouraging after a long comeback from Tommy John surgery. The fastball sat in the low 90s, the slider in the mid-80s, with his five-pitch mix intact.
He showed enough velocity and command to bet on his future.
Rotation math for 2026
Bieber gives Toronto a steadier top four with Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Trey Yesavage.
Yariel Rodriguez and internal options bridge the middle, but the plan should protect Yesavage from a second-year workload spike.
If Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer walk, the Jays still need one legitimate starter plus a swingman. Either way, “four real starters” is a better launch point than most AL contenders can claim right now.
2026 CBT snapshot
MLB’s tax line is $244 million in 2026. Toronto already has approximately $93.4 million committed, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. receiving$35.71 million per year.
That leaves about $150.6 million of runway before surcharges for the rest of the roster—Yesavage (pre-arb), rotation depth, bullpen adds, arb cases, and the usual 40-man/benefits bake-ins. Translation: the core is pricey but not boxed in; there’s room for one starter and a leverage reliever if the prices make sense.
Winter to-do list, post-Bieber
- Solve shortstop. Will the Jays really let Bo Bichette walk—and if so, what’s Plan B? If he stays, great; if not, they’ll need an everyday answer or a premium glove paired with offense elsewhere.
- Decide on Bassitt/Scherzer vs. an outside arm. Bassitt will likely command a short deal at a premium AAV. Scherzer says he wants to pitch in 2026. If both move on, Toronto still needs one reliable starter and an optionable depth add.
- Buy reliable innings. Incentive-heavy deals make sense after a marathon October. Build in breathers for the kid and keep a tandem ready with Rodriguez.
- Rebalance the bullpen. Jeff Hoffman is locked in, but another leverage piece and a true multi-inning option keep the late innings from chewing up the core by June.
Bottom line
Bieber’s opt-in stabilizes the front and lets Toronto operate from strength. If he stacks a normal spring onto this late-season form, the Jays can focus on one more starter, sturdier depth and a bullpen tweak. That’s the kind of incremental lift a Game 7 team needs—no fireworks required, just clean execution.
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