Toronto Blue Jays get huge shot in the arm Friday from rotation

The return of Shane Bieber, following his impressive performance with nine strikeouts in his first game for the Blue Jays, positions Toronto as a strong contender for postseason betting, influencing punters to consider their playoff chances.

The Toronto Blue Jays finally got a glimpse of the pitcher they traded for at the deadline, and Shane Bieber didn’t disappoint. Making his first big league start since April 2024, the former Cy Young winner looked like his old self in a 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Friday night.

Shane Bieber strikes out 9 in Blue Jays debut after 16-month layoff. Bieber went six innings, striking out nine while allowing just two hits and one run. The only damage came on a solo homer by Javier Sanoja in the second inning, but the right-hander settled in after that and retired 12 straight batters before exiting after 87 pitches.

It was a long-awaited return for Bieber, who underwent Tommy John surgery last spring while still with the Cleveland Guardians. Toronto acquired him on July 31, banking on his recovery to give them another front-line starter for the stretch run.

For seven seasons in Cleveland, Bieber was one of the American League’s most reliable arms. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020 after posting an 8-1 record and a 1.63 ERA in the shortened season, striking out 122 hitters in just 771⁄3 innings.

At 30 years old, Bieber showed in Miami that he still has swing-and-miss stuff. His fastball had life, and his command was sharp as he mixed in his breaking pitches to keep Marlins hitters off balance.

The Blue Jays handed him a 5-1 lead when he left the game, and the bullpen held on to seal the win. For a Toronto team looking to make a postseason push, Bieber’s debut was the kind of performance that could change the outlook of their rotation down the stretch.

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Former Cy Young is back!

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