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The Toronto Blue Jays traded for Shane Bieber for last season's stretch run and didn't know if they'd have him beyond then.
But then he rejoined forces with the Blue Jays in the offseason to try running it back and seeing if they can get over the hump of an extra innings Game 7 World Series loss.
It may not be easy, but Bieber could be a big part of the journey.
If he can get healthy, that is.
Bieber got a good bill of health from manager John Schneider on Thursday, via a story from MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.
“Biebs isn’t that far behind. Biebs is throwing and feeling good. He’s out to 120 feet,” Schneider said. “Hopefully in the next week to two weeks, he’ll be getting off the mound and starting his progression. There are options coming, too.”
Bieber warned a week ago when he spoke to reporters that he'd be taking it "slow and smart."
The regular season is a little more than a month away.
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Bieber also has the matter of coming off a couple of shortened seasons to consider when making a plan for him going forward.
He only made two starts in 2024 before Tommy John surgery, and he didn't return until the summer in 2025 as he recovered from that injury.
The Blue Jays may not want to rush him back anyway, given that it might be tough for him to get to 200 innings for a full season after that recent injury history.
But any bit of Bieber is better than no Bieber for the Blue Jays, and he's moving in the right direction.
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