New deal with Shane Bieber identified as free agent match for the Cleveland Guardians

It is no secret that all eyes have been on the Cleveland Guardians and how they intend to address their starting rotation. Besides Tanner Bibee, the Guardians had a pieced-together group that provided better overall results than anyone could imagine, and while their efforts were admirable, they cannot count on that approach working two years in a row. Taking that into consideration, it is not exactly a surprise to see a new contract with Shane Bieber be suggested in a recent article.

This came as part of Jim Bowden's attempts to play matchmaker in MLB Hot Stove matchmaking: A free-agent fit for each team as the Winter Meetings near in The Athletic (subscription required), with the suggestion of a two-year $35 million deal. Bowden believes that this could work out quite well for the Guardians at this price point, "Bieber, who made only two starts for Cleveland last season, is not expected to return until next June at the earliest, but if the two-time All-Star finds his form, he has a chance to be the best value signing of this free-agent class.". Value is the name of the game for Cleveland's front office, as it is weight quite heavily in their roster management decisions.

While the potential value of bringing Bieber back into the fold is very enticing, there is some risk here that must be mentioned. Bieber is coming off Tommy John surgery, and even though players have been able to fully bounce back more frequently than they used to, it is still not guaranteed to happen. The possibility of Bieber struggling upon his eventual return to the rotation is something that will definitely weigh heavily on the minds of those involved in roster decisions. Cleveland's front office has a long, detailed past of being risk-averse, and the financial commitment involved here could be enough for them to look elsewhere rather than bring back the former Cy Young Award winner.

Either way, it is going to be a tough decision for the Guardians to make, and no one should be surprised by what happens, no matter the result.