Guardians trade Bieber to Blue Jays

CLEVELAND — 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.However, All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan remains in Cleveland despite attracting a lot of interest.The Guardians are 54-54 going into this weekend's series against Minnesota and in second place in the AL Central, nine games behind Detroit. They are three games out of the final wild-card spot, but their moves could 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 on Monday.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.The Guardians lost 10 straight from June 26 to July 6, but their 14-6 record since July 7 is the second-best mark in the majors."We have a lot to weigh around this time of year. The unexpected developments recently (with Clase and Ortiz) were certainly one of them," said Chris Antonetti, Cleveland's president of baseball operations. "But in the end, I think we feel good about the roster that we have for the balance of 2025 and are excited about our future."Many thought Kwan might be moved at the deadline, but the three-time All-Star is staying put. Kwan — who is batting .286 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs — is under team control through 2027 with the possibility of both sides discussing an extension during the offseason."Not only do we have a profound appreciation for what he's able to contribute on the baseball field and in the clubhouse, but so does the rest of Major League Baseball. We are really excited that he will continue to be with us moving forward," Antonetti said.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.Antonetti said teams began checking about Bieber's availability in late June despite him being shut down for a month after experiencing soreness with the elbow after his first rehab start.Talks began ramping up again though over the past couple weeks."I think with the way information has progressed over the course of the last 10 or 12 years, teams were able to get a really good feel of where Shane was in his rehab progression. They were able to not only get the video but get all the pitch metrics, in addition to maybe some scouting," Antonetti said. "I think that there were teams that felt good about where Shane was in his rehab and what the path for him might be moving forward."The Guardians are getting right-hander Khal Stephen from the Blue Jays. After the trade deadline passed, they claimed right-hander Carlos Hernández on waivers from Detroit.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 was 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.The 28-year old Hernández has split time this season between Philadelphia and Detroit. In 36 appearances he is 1-0 with a 6.69 ERA.