Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber has been sidelined on the 15-day injured list, dealing a blow to the team’s wild-card aspirations as they head into the final stretch of the season. The experienced pitcher is grappling with inflammation in his teres major muscle below his right shoulder, according to the team. This move was backdated to Friday, following Bieber’s strong performance in a recent game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Bieber experienced discomfort during a bullpen session in New York on Sunday, prompting an MRI scan which confirmed a moderate to mild teres major injury. Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner, holds a 5-2 record this season with a 4.37 earned-run average. He had previously spent the initial two months of the season on the injured list due to elbow inflammation and forearm fatigue.
Schneider expressed hope for Bieber’s return this season but could not provide a specific timeline. As of now, Toronto (64-68) is trailing by two games for an American League wild-card position. The team faces a challenging situation given the timing of Bieber’s injury and the crucial games remaining in the season. Schneider acknowledged the setback but remained optimistic about the team’s ability to navigate through this challenge.
