The Toronto Blue Jays suffered a setback as right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. Bieber is grappling with inflammation in his teres major muscle beneath his right shoulder, with the move backdated to Friday following his strong performance against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Bieber experienced discomfort during a bullpen session in New York, leading to an MRI which confirmed a moderate to mild teres major injury. This development is disappointing for both Bieber and the team.
Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner, holds a 5-2 record this season with a 4.37 earned-run average. He previously missed the first two months of the season due to elbow inflammation and forearm fatigue.
Schneider expressed hope for Bieber’s return this season but could not provide a specific timeline. The Blue Jays, currently 64-68, are trailing two games behind an American League wild-card position.
Schneider acknowledged the challenging timing of Bieber’s injury, emphasizing the team’s need to adapt and persevere in the remaining games of the season.