The New York Mets have several gaps to address in their 2025 starting rotation. They’ve been linked to elite pitchers like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, but president of baseball operations David Stearns may also need to explore budget-friendly options. Could Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber be a viable target?
After missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason, Stearns turned to short-term solutions for the rotation. This included trading for Adrian Houser and signing Sean Manaea (two-year deal) and Luis Severino (one-year deal) in free agency. While the Houser trade didn’t pan out, the overall approach proved effective. The Mets’ 3.46 rotation ERA after the All-Star break ranked fifth in baseball, per FanGraphs.
Bieber presents a unique case. The 2020 American League pitching triple crown winner was limited to just 12 innings in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. His ability to return to top form remains uncertain, and he may not be ready to pitch in the majors again until mid-2025.
Despite this, the Mets have the financial flexibility to take a calculated risk on Bieber, depending on how they shape the rest of their rotation. Just Baseball’s Elijah Evans highlighted five teams capable of absorbing such a risk, with New York listed second.
“Bieber won’t be their top rotation addition, but the Mets have depth options like David Peterson, Paul Blackburn, and Jose Butto to cover back-end innings early in the season,” Evans wrote. “This allows Bieber to recover at his own pace while offering the high upside a contending team like the Mets needs. If they sign a high-end starter and re-sign Manaea, Bieber could be the ideal final piece. They can afford to pay him during his rehab.”
Pursuing Bieber would be an intriguing upside play for the Mets. Having successfully revitalized Manaea and Severino in 2024, the organization might feel confident in doing the same with a former Cy Young winner. MLB Trade Rumors projected that Bieber could secure a one-year, $12 million deal in free agency, making him a potentially worthwhile investment.
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