Shane Bieber’s wife Kara opens up on Blue Jays pitcher’s “unmatched” mental strength and resilience after Tommy John surgery

Toronto Blue Jays ace Shane Bieber’s comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2024 has been a long and grueling journey. His wife, Kara Maxine, highlighted this once again during a recent fan Q&A on Instagram.

Kara shared how proud she is to watch Bieber excel in the postseason, particularly during the World Series, after enduring such a demanding rehab process. The surgery occurred while he was with the Cleveland Guardians, and he was later traded to the Jays in exchange for Khal Stephen.

“He’s accomplished a lot in his career but coming back from TJ and giving everything he had to a new team through the most intense playoff run and World Series. His grit, work ethic, and mental toughness are unmatched,” Maxine said.

Shane Bieber's wife Kara in Q&A [Credit: Instagram]

Bieber’s recovery from Tommy John surgery was an emotional challenge, as he was limited to just 21 starts in the 2023 season due to elbow issues. Before undergoing ulnar collateral ligament surgery, Bieber mentioned he was starting to “fall back in love with pitching again.”

The journey tested not just Bieber physically but also Kara, as the family relocated to Toronto immediately following the birth of their first child. She emphasized that she and son Kav McClain Bieber have “always” stayed close to the Jays star, though the experience hasn’t been easy.

Shane Bieber’s wife Kara reflects on “beautifully brutal” birth of son Kav

Shane Bieber [Credit: Imagn]

During the Q&A session, Shane Bieber’s wife Kara reflected on the “most mysterious and powerful” experience of giving birth to their firstborn on March 14, 2025. She called her journey “beautifully brutal” after going through 36 hours of labor at home.

“Yes! After 36 hours of laboring at home (had back labor), I delivered him at the hospital as planned - but everything in between was beautifully brutal," she said. "It’s the most mysterious and powerful experience a woman can go through. You can have a plan, but ultimately your body and baby will choose their own way."

Kara further recalled how this season has been with traveling with the “little trooper” at ballparks. While she added Kav has been a good sport all throughout, but a five-hour flight could have him riled up “in the middle of the night”. Now with the offseason break, the family is finally unwinding and taking some much-needed downtime.

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro