(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
On Saturday, the Cleveland Guardians had to place ace Shane Bieber on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
The timing of the injury could not be worse, with the trade deadline two weeks from now.
A four-game losing skid has left the Guards 2.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the top spot in the AL Central.
They boast a 45-48 record, and while they were unlikely to deal Bieber while in contention, it can never be ruled out.
Now, with the injury, a potential trade is even more difficult.
Despite the situation, there is some good news to report on the Bieber front.
“Shane Bieber got ‘really encouraging’ news today after meeting with Dr. Meister. He’ll go two weeks without throwing and will continue to be evaluated week by week, but they determined he does not need surgery,” Guardians insider Mandy Bell tweeted.
Shane Bieber got “really encouraging” news today after meeting with Dr. Meister. He’ll go two weeks without throwing and will continue to be evaluated week by week, but they determined he does not need surgery.
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) July 16, 2023
Nobody knows when Bieber will return, but the fact he avoided surgery is huge for himself and for Cleveland.
One could argue that there is a chance Bieber has been hurt for a while.
To this point, he has a 3.66 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 110.2 innings, but it’s his strikeout rate the one that has suffered the most.
He has only accumulated 89 punchouts, and he has struck out more than a batter per inning every year in his career except for 2022, when he fanned 198 in 200 frames.
For now, Logan Allen will take Bieber’s spot in the rotation.
The Guardians are hoping Bieber can return for the stretch run in what looks like a tight race with the Twins until the very end.
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