Pitcher Shane Bieber is headed to the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays in a deal with the rebuilding Cleveland Guardians, who also dealt right-hander Paul Sewald in the division to the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
The Guardians began trade deadline day in second place in the AL Central, nine games behind Detroit and potentially in the wild-card race, but their moves signal this has become a spiraling season.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase, a three-time All-Star, was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a Major League Baseball investigation into sports betting earlier in the week.
Luis Ortiz also is on non-disciplinary leave through Aug. 31, stemming from an investigation regarding in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by the right-hander that received higher activity than usual during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and against St. Louis on June 27. The gambling activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting integrity firm and forwarded to MLB.
Bieber, who is working his way back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery, has made five rehab starts. His most recent outing was Tuesday for Double-A Akron, in which he allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven in four innings. His next rehab start was scheduled for Sunday.
The Guardians are getting right-hander Khal Stephen from the Blue Jays.
Bieber had spent his entire career in Cleveland, including winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2020. He has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA and 958 strikeouts in 136 games, with 134 starts since his debut in 2018.
He agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract last fall with a $16 million player option for 2026.
The 22-year old Stephen has a combined record of 9-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 18 games, with 17 starts, in the Blue Jays' farm system this season. He was a second-round selection (59th overall) by Toronto in the 2024 amateur draft. He made one start for Double-A New Hampshire following his promotion on July 20 before being placed on the injured list with right shoulder impingement.
Cleveland traded Sewald to Detroit for a player to be named later.
The Tigers bolstered their bullpen with the 35-year-old Sewald, who is eligible to return from the injured list on Sunday after being shut down with a strained right shoulder.
Sewald is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 18 games this season, averaging more than one strikeout each inning. He is 21-26 with a 4.11 ERA with 86 saves in 377 appearances with the New York Mets, Seattle, Arizona and Cleveland.
___
AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
