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The Toronto Blue Jays could take a long time to recover from their World Series misery, but several of their players have to move on relatively quickly. A handful of free agents officially became untethered from the Blue Jays on Sunday, including right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber. It was Bieber who was on the mound when Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith hit a bases-empty, two-out home run in the 11th inning of an epic 5-4 battle in Game 7 of the Fall Classic on Saturday. Bieber’s market is difficult to discern. He had a decent playoff run before the home run, even earning the win in World Series Game 4. He also pitched to a 3.57 ERA in seven regular-season starts, but that came after a 16-month absence following Tommy John surgery early last year. MIAMI, FLORIDA – AUGUST 23: Toronto Blue Jays hats and gloves sit in the dugout during the sixth inning of their game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jared Lennon/Getty Images) Will Bieber get paid like the Cy Young Award winner he once was, back in 2020 with the Cleveland Indians? It’s tough to say anything with certainty, but a consensus seems to be developing that he’ll be worth at least nine figures. On Sunday, NBC Sports’ Matthew Pouliot was the latest to register a projection for Bieber’s free agency: four years, $112 million, which works out to a solid $28 million in average annual value. “Bieber’s return from 2024 Tommy John surgery has been a great success, as he’s shown his best velocity since 2021,” Pouliot wrote. “The stuff still obviously wasn’t what it was when he was maybe the best pitcher on the planet in 2020, but what he has now should make (for) an above-average starter going forward. Prediction: four years, $112 million.” The 31-year-old Bieber still has fairly stellar career numbers: a 66-34 record, 3.24 ERA, and 995 strikeouts in 883 1/3 innings. But even if his stuff profiled well this year, it’s hard to project whether teams value him as a No. 1 or 2 starter moving forward, or if the risk makes him more of a high-end No. 3. Bieber’s other projections include a six-year, $145 million deal from Spotrac, and a three-year, $75 million pact from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden. So the only industry consensus is that he’s likely to get roughly $25 million per year; the number of years is anyone’s guess. More MLB: Mets Expected to Cut Ties with Former 1st-Round Infielder: Insider
