Why Shane Bieber should start the 2026 season at IL

As Spring Training ramps in florida, Toronto Blue Jays confirmed an early adjustment to their pitching plans. Right handed Shane Bieber will not be ready for Opening day as the club cautiously approaches one of its most important branches.

Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith shared an update on X (formerly known as Twitter) after speaking to the manager John Schneider, clarifying the diagnosis and the Toronto plan.

“The Blue Jays plan to have Shane Bieber open the season on the injured list.”

He is dealing with right forearm fatigue and his increase will be delayed after the opener. He feels good about John Schneider and is playing catch, but he won’t start the season on time. Described as week-to-week”

The Blue Jays plan to place the unanimous 2020 AL Cy Young winner on the injured list with right forearm fatigue, delaying his extension and keeping him off the active roster to open the 2026 season. While the move is precautionary, it immediately affects Toronto’s early rotation prospects.

Bieber is not ruled out of the pitching and continues to play catch. However, the two-time All-Star’s workload remains below game readiness, leading the organization to slow his progress during the first weeks of camp.

Schneider stressed that the decision reflects long-term thinking, not short-term urgency. Given Bieber’s recent injury history, the Blue Jays opted not to increase his workload and risk further complications.

Bieber’s delayed availability creates an early challenge for the Blue Jays’ rotation. The club expected him to be near the top next to Kevin Gausman and Dylan Sis, and his absence pushes the team to rely on depth options in early 2026.

The failure also has a personal meaning for Bieber. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024 and returning in late 2025, he exercised his player option with the goal of re-establishing durability and value in 2026.

The Blue Jays organization considers the problem to be manageable, not alarming. With fatigue, not structural damage, the cause of the delay, the club believes patience now could prevent bigger problems later. The team will continue to evaluate Bieber on a week-by-week basis as spring training progresses.