Still reeling from a heartbreaking World Series loss, the Toronto Blue Jays received some positive news for the team’s future. Shane Bieber exercised his player option for 2026. The former Cy Young winner will return to Toronto for the final year of his contract at $16 million.

However, Bieber’s choice to opt-in caught MLB insider Ken Rosenthal off guard . “I was surprised. People with the Blue Jays were surprised. People in the industry were surprised. You just don’t see this kind of decision very often,” Rosenthal said, per Foul Territory.

“He could have declined the option, taken a $4 million buyout – so he’s $4 million ahead. And then, in free agency I would think three, $50M? Something like that. Three years, $50 million, maybe even more. But for whatever reason, he wants to b

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