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'Gut punch': Shane Bieber's Tommy John injury was brutal timing but he knows he can return
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- 'Gut punch': Shane Bieber's Tommy John injury was brutal timing but he knows he can return
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The timing of Shane Bieber's elbow injury last year was bitter, but in a way it did come with a small side of sweetness via some much-needed reassurance.
In the offseason leading into the 2024 season, Bieber worked with Driveline in addition to his normal program with the Guardians pitching department . The result? His first two starts of the year were dominant with 12 scoreless innings and 20 strikeouts. It appeared he had rediscovered something, and that he again was briefly every bit the pitcher who unanimously won the 2020 Cy Young Award .
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But, just like that, it was all gone. Bieber had persistent elbow discomfort, and MRIs delivered the cruel news that he needed Tommy John surgery. His 2024 season was over before it could really get into the air, despite the perfect takeoff from the runway.
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The timing was brutal. Bieber was brought to tears when discussing the diagnosis with reporters, saying he had finally fell in love with pitching again. It'd be impossible for him not to wonder about what could have been had his elbow held up, especially as the Guardians made a run to the American League Central title and the ALCS .
"In the sense of being a competitor, I want to pitch, I want to compete, I want to be out there with my guys that have put so much work in to have the great year that they did last year. And they sure did, and I was happy to support them from the side, but I really wanted to be out there," Bieber said. "So, it was difficult from that standpoint."
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Shane Bieber details Tommy John surgery rehab during spring training camp 2025
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) leaves a game against the Kansas City Royals on March 2, 2024, in Goodyear, Arizona.
Bieber missed significant time during the 2021 season. It was his first experience with an extended absence in the major leagues. It was difficult for him to deal with it. He again missed time in 2023 . Then he was shut down after 12 innings last season, forcing him to prepare for not only another absence, but the lengthiest one yet.
But there was something that at least made part of that journey a bit easier to accept. After three years of searching ( combined 3.22 ERA ), Bieber was able to again trek to the summit of his ability. It was only two starts, but it was enough to prove to himself that he still had that in him somewhere. It was validating.
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It was bitter in the sense of a what-might-have-been element. But at least this time, while he was rehabbing, he didn't have to wonder if he could ever get back to that point again. It made the mental aspect of it all a bit easier.
"That's one of the things that made getting hurt difficult, but also one of the things that's driven me through my rehab," Bieber said. "It was a gut punch to finally be pitching to the capability that I know I could sustain, and I was very excited for everything to unfold for me personally through the season, and with the team.
"Any which way you look at it, getting hurt sucks. But it depends how you look at it. And if you're able to shift your perspective a little bit and be like, 'No, actually [at least having those two starts of proof] is a great thing in that I could have gotten hurt and been confused about my performance or the adjustments I made and then got hurt, and then there's a lot more questions in my head.'"
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Shane Bieber injury timeline
Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber smiles as he takes the mound during the first inning of his rehab start for the Akron RubberDucks at Canal Park, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023.
Tommy John surgery often comes with a timetable of 12 to 18 months. Bieber will start the 2025 season on the injured list and hope to rejoin the Guardians starting rotation. He'll likely miss at least the first few months but then has the potential to be a major midseason addition for a team expected to contend in a tight AL Central race.
He is again throwing off the mound at t he team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz . It's a welcome sight to see for the Guardians , who likely wouldn't have been able to re-sign him before the injury.
"He looked like he never stopped throwing," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "Obviously he's got a ways to go, but with Biebs and with any of our other rehab guys, you just want them to continue to progress forward. … It was nice to see him throw off the mound. He felt really good about and felt good the next day.
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"It was a big day for him and an exciting day for us."
The real goal line will be when Bieber pitches in a major league game again. As he waits, he's comforted by the knowledge that he was able to prove to himself that, somewhere in him, at least the potential of his top-tier, Cy Young form is still lurking.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians Shane Bieber Tommy John injury timeline in 2025
