Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Shane Bieber will miss Opening Day, and the Blue Jays are brilliantly preserving his golden arm for another championship push.
Missing the very first week of the season usually sends a fanbase into an absolute tailspin of anxiety.
This specific situation is entirely different because the organization is playing a brilliant, calculated waiting game.
Dealing with right forearm fatigue is exactly why you ease a superstar back into the grueling marathon of a full season.
The front office learned massive lessons from his incredibly intense playoff workload during our glorious run last fall.
They are completely refusing to rush his rehab when the ultimate goal is hoisting another trophy in October.
The current rotation depth allows the coaching staff to be incredibly patient with his highly anticipated return to the mound.
Shane Bieber (Drafted Round 4, 2016 by Cleveland Indians) is a fierce competitor who desperately wants to pitch right now.
The 30-year-old veteran delivered a brilliant 3.57 ERA and a microscopic 1.02 WHIP in his seven regular season starts for Toronto last summer.
He also racked up 37 strikeouts in just 40 innings, proving his elite swing-and-miss stuff is still incredibly lethal.
Bieber is progressing very well as of right now and apparently cannot wait to get back out there.
Shane Bieber had a heavy throw day on Friday. He's "chomping at the bit," says Blue Jays manager John Schneider, but no set date for his return to the mound.
Schneider: "All the reports are good. ... We'll stick with the process and keep getting his feedback."
Schneider: "All the reports are good. ... We'll stick with the process and keep getting his feedback."
The rotation depth provides an absolute luxury
Fans are breathing a massive sigh of relief knowing we do not have to force our ace into action prematurely.
We have an absolute powerhouse of starting pitchers ready to pick up the slack and dominate in April.
Veterans like Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease are perfectly equipped to completely shut down opposing lineups early on.
Our emerging young weapons, like Trey Yesavage, are also eagerly waiting to prove their worth under the bright lights.
The strategic choice to let Bieber throw safely on flat ground right now pays massive dividends later in the summer.
He is slowly building his arm strength back up to 120 feet without forcing unnecessary stress off a steep mound.
When the intense heat of the American League East playoff race arrives, having a fully healthy Cy Young winner is the ultimate weapon.
This cautious, highly calculated patience is exactly how you build a sustainable, winning baseball culture from the ground up.
The extra rest guarantees that his eventual triumphant return to the Rogers Centre mound will be incredibly special.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 8|221 ANSWERS Shane Bieber speaks regarding his on going injury issues Are you confident the starting rotation will dominate without Shane Bieber in April? | ||
| Yes | 193 | 87.3 % |
| No | 28 | 12.7 % |
| List of polls | ||