Overview
- Blu Jays GM Ross Atkins said Bieber is in a strong position but may not be at 100% at the very start as the team takes his progress a week at a time.
- Atkins added he anticipates the former Cy Young winner will be ready for Opening Day, with workload monitoring to continue through spring.
- Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2024 and carried a heavy workload late last season, which the team says it will factor into his ramp-up.
- Yahoo Sports, citing The Athletic’s reporting, said a person briefed on the matter described Bieber experiencing forearm fatigue at season’s end, a detail the team has not confirmed.
- Forbes noted Toronto signed starters Dylan Cease (reported $210 million) and Cody Ponce (about $30 million) before the Winter Meetings, a sequence some analysts view as insurance if Bieber’s early-season availability is limited.