Shane Bieber watched from the sideline as the Toronto Blue Jays fell to 4-5 on the 2026 MLB season after dropping three straight games to the Chicago White Sox, capped by a 3-0 loss on Sunday. Now, the Blue Jays will look to get back on track as they face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series beginning Monday, a rematch of last year’s World Series.
Bieber was traded to Toronto before last season after spending his first seven years in the MLB with the Cleveland Guardians. The right-handed starter from California appeared in just seven games with the Blue Jays, all starts, posting a 4-2 record with a 3.57 ERA and 37 strikeouts, while allowing 34 hits and 16 runs. He was also forced to miss the first half of 2025, recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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But ahead of the 2026 MLB season, Shane Bieber has been dealing with inflammation in his right throwing elbow. This forced the Blue Jays to place the pitcher on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 22, and he is expected to return sometime in May. The injury stems from lingering right forearm fatigue that Bieber was dealing with late in the 2025 season, which carried into the offseason.
On Saturday, Bieber took a positive step in his recovery, throwing a bullpen session and feeling good afterward. He is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Tuesday. The same plan applies to fellow Toronto reliever Yimi Garcia, who is also working his way back from an elbow issue.
"🔘 Shane Bieber threw a bullpen on Saturday, felt good," Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling wrote on X. "He’ll throw another Tuesday. 🔘 Yimi Garcia is also scheduled to throw a bullpen on Tuesday"
The Blue Jays will face the Dodgers in a three-game series before taking on the Minnesota Twins beginning on Friday.
