Former American League Cy Young winner could be back in the Guardians rotation before the end of the month. The 30-year-old righty, who underwent Tommy John surgery last April, began a minor league rehab a signment Saturday when he pitched 2 1/3 innings for the Guards Rookie-level affiliate in the Arizona Complex League and punched out five of nine opponents. Biebers next start is slated to come at the Double-A level on Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic, who adds that Bieber will likely take about four weeks, give or take a few days before returning to the majors (barring any setbacks). The maximum length for a pitchers rehab stint is generally 30 days, so with Bieber already making one rehab start last week, itll likely be a few days shy of that four-week mark. Pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery can get up to three 10-day extensions to that rehab window with approval from the league and MLBPA. If the Guards indeed plan Jeff Green Jersey to use around a 30-day rehab window, as Meisel implies, Bieber could make six rehab starts, with a final appearance on June 25 (or thereabouts) before being reinstated on the 29th and making his big league return on the 30th. Alternatively, they could bring him back into the MLB fold around that June 25 mark if things go smoothly. The specifics of his return will depend on how he fares in the weeks ahead, but Guardians fans can begin building up anticipation now that theres a clock underway (again, barring any setback that would result in Bieber being pulled back from rehab). Bieber made only two starts in 2024, his final season of club control in Cleveland, before incurring his ill-timed injury. Thats not to say theres ever a good time for a player to suffer a UCL injury of course, but doing so just two weeks into ones platform year before reaching the open market is particularly sub-optimal. Thats all the more true given that the right-hander looked brilliant in those two outings as he looked to rebound from a pedestrian 2023 showing. Biebers average fastball had ticked back up to 92 mph after sitting 91.3 mph in each of the past two seasons, per Statcast. His heater had been particularly limited in April in the 2022-23 seasons, sitting under 91 mph in both. That made the velo uptick all the more encouraging. Bieber didnt allow a run in 12 innings last year, and he struck out a comical 20 of his 45 opponents (44.4%) against just one walk (2.2%). Fifty percent of the balls put in play against him were grounders. It was a sample of just two starts, granted, but its hard to draw up a better beginning to a pitchers walk year or a worse finish than what quickly transpired thereafter. Had Bieber enjoyed a healthy season, he mightve been able to command a nine-figure contract on the open market. Instead, he returned to the Guards on a two-year contract that guarantees him $26MM. The second season of that contract is a player option, however, so Biebers return effort merits a watchful eye. Hes being paid $10MM this season and has a $16MM player option with a $4MM buyout that hed receive upon declining. As long as hes confident he can top a one-year, $12MM deal which seems overwhelmingly likely, so long as hes healthy Bieber will head back to the open market at seasons end. The Guards could then make him a qualifying offer. Clevelands rotation has struggled without its typical top starter, ranking 22nd in the majors with a collective 4.16 ERA. The Guardians also just lost right-hander , who leads the rotation with a 3.22 ERA, to his own Tommy John procedure. and have posted nearly identical 3.79 and 3.86 ERAs, respectively, though the former is doing in spite of an ugly 13.2% walk rate hell need to improve if he hopes to sustain a sub-4.00 ERA. (4.31 ERA) and (4.40 ERA) have both made at least 10 starts and held their own, though Allens 16.4% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate make his performance feel a bit suspect. Offseason trade acquisition has been in the rotation recently, making two very good starts to begin his Guardians tenure before a rocky third outing (five runs in 4 1/3 innings). Hes sitting on a 5.28 ERA in 15 1/3 innings overall. All five current members of the Cleveland rotation can be optioned, which gives the Cleveland front office some flexibility once Bieber is ready to return. Wilson Chandler Jersey