The free agent pitching market became a bit thinner on Tuesday when Shane Bieber decided to pick up his $16 million player option for 2026 and remain with the Toronto Blue Jays, multiple media outlets reported.

The former Cy Young Award winner didn’t make his debut with the Blue Jays until August, having been out 16 months while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He wound up going 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA in seven starts for Toronto down the stretch, then went 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five games during the postseason.

Bieber took the loss in Game 7 of the World Series. Pitching in relief, he served up an 11th-inning solo homer to Will Smith that led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 victory and the championship.

Bieber could have opted to take a $4 million buyout and become a free agent. Inste

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