The Cleveland Guardians have placed ace pitcher Shane Bieber on the 60-Day IL. Bieber will now be sidelined until at least mid-September. Not only does this affect Cleveland’s playoff hopes it also cripples their trade market. Bieber was a name to watch at the deadline, but he has not pitched since July 9th. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Monday as a procedural move.
Guardians’ manager Terry Francona said that Bieber did not have any setbacks in his rehabilitation, but he will not be back until the season’s last final. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner has been shut down from throwing for at least three weeks.
Francona On Bieber
“Shane is actually self-reporting that he’s doing great, which we love hearing,” Francona said. “But when you do the math, it’s going to be another six days until he throws, then three weeks after that until he gets back on the mound. That’s six weeks right there.” according to Sports.yahoo.com.
The 28-year-old right-hander was the only Cleveland pitcher to start all their appearances before the all-star break. Bieber posted a 5-6 record with a 3.77 ERA in 19 games. The Cleveland Guardians have also been without starters Triston MacKenzie and Cal Quantrill for an extended period of time now. This has forced rookies Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, and Gavin Williams to keep the defending ALC Champs in the playoff hunt.
The Cleveland Guardians lost the opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Monday. That put them four games behind the division-leading Minnesota Twins and two games below .500. It has been a very rough season for the Cleveland Guardians. When the offense is on, the pitching is off. When the pitching is on the offense is off. That, along with all of the injuries this team is in a bad place.
Anything can Happen
The Twins have the easiest remaining schedule in baseball. With their best trade chip in Shane Bieber being shut down Cleveland’s situation is getting worse by the day. Unless some kind of miracle is performed at the trade deadline, Cleveland may just be done for. The fans must remember that there is still baseball to be played though. anything can happen in these last few months of the MLB regular season. We have seen teams all throughout the history of baseball catch fire at the best times. Could Cleveland be one of those teams? Only time will tell.
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