MLB Rumors: Shane Bieber, Guardians Agree to 1-Year, $14M Contract in Free Agency

Shane Bieber's time in Cleveland has somewhat surprisingly been extended.

The veteran ace re-signed with the Guardians on Friday, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal is for $14 million in 2025 and includes a $16 million player option for 2026.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Bieber turned down contract offers from other teams worth more money because he wanted to return to the Guardians.

Bieber, 29, didn't have a vintage season in 2023. The 2020 Cy Young award-winner and two-time All-Star was 6-6 on the year with a 3.80 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 128 innings (21 starts).

He made just two starts in the 2024 season before requiring Tommy John surgery, ending his campaign almost before it began.

It would not have been a major surprise had Cleveland decided to let him walk in free agency this winter. The Guardians are loaded with talented young pitchers that have both made their way to the big leagues (Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo) and those expected to at some point (Daniel Espino). In the big picture, clearing the way for the next generation of starters made sense.

The Guardians also aren't prone to offering top-of-the-market contracts or extensions, leading to the departures of former stars like Francisco Lindor, Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger. Those three were traded, and it's certainly possible that Bieber would have been as well this summer had he stayed healthy, even with the Guardians atop the AL Central.

But despite that history, Bieber is back. The Guardians will be hoping to revitalize his career and return him to the elite status he once held.