Deadline: Shane Bieber Steps Up at the Right Time

This afternoon, the Blue Jays faced off against the Rays. The Toronto team was trying to avoid a sweep after Tampa Bay had won the first three games of the series.

And for this game, Shane Bieber took the mound. The starter had been solid in his last outing, pitching six scoreless innings against the White Sox.

So the question was whether he'd be able to do it all over again… and in the end, Bieber was once again very, very solid.

Facing the powerful Rays, Bieber pitched seven innings, allowing just a single run. He struck out only three batters, but he also allowed just three hits without issuing a single walk.

He thus had his second strong outing in a row… and has allowed just one run over his last 13 innings pitched. In doing so, he helped the Jays avoid a sweep and secure a 3-1 victory.

All of this is interesting given that Bieber—who missed several months early in the season—didn't have a great start to the season. And seeing him succeed like this right before the trade deadline raises some questions.

After all, he'll be a free agent at the end of the season… and we know the Blue Jays are likely to start trading players by August 3.

It's reasonable to assume that interested teams will want to see Bieber pitch at least one more time before making a decision on him. If he has a third strong outing in a row, it'll be easier to justify paying to acquire him.

That said, if the Blue Jays end up keeping him, his situation will also be interesting this winter. The club could make him a qualifying offer… and Bieber fits the profile of a player who might accept such an offer.

There's a lot of talk about Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho, but Shane Bieber's recent outings mean he's also one to watch as the trade deadline approaches. We'll see how the Blue Jays choose to handle this situation.

• Jordan Walker receives a standing ovation in St. Louis.

• Jesus Sanchez has begun playing in the minors.

• Zach Neto to Boston?

• Things aren't going well for Alek Manoah in Triple-A.

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