Guardians' Shane Bieber to Miss Next Start After MRI on Forearm Injury

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber will miss next Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 2020 American League Cy Young winner underwent an MRI to examine a lingering forearm issue.

Bieber is 5-6 with a 3.77 ERA and a 4.14 FIP through 19 starts this season.

The right-hander threw six shutout innings in a 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on June 29, but that's an outlier among his most recent outings. In four of his last five appearances, he has allowed at least four runs.

The Royals tagged him for four earned runs on nine hits in their 4-1 victory on July 9 before both teams headed into the All-Star break.

An injury to Bieber would be troublesome for the Guardians for two reasons.

Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill and Peyton Battenfield are already on the injured list. In the case of McKenzie, it's no sure thing he returns at all this year as he sits on the 60-day IL with a sprained elbow.

Taking Bieber out of the mix puts further strain on an already depleted rotation at a time when Cleveland is barely holding onto first place in the American League Central. The Minnesota Twins are a half-game back in second.

Bieber has also been the subject of trade speculation despite the team mounting another postseason charge.

The 28-year-old is eligible for arbitration for one more season before he can hit free agency in 2025. Now is the time to consider moving him if the front office expects his price on the open market to be too high.

If Bieber ultimately lands on the IL, then any interested suitors might table any trade until the offseason.