ORLANDO, Fla. — At the time, the decision Shane Bieber made to exercise his player option and remain with the Blue Jays for 2026 was met with elation by the team’s fans and some head-scratching around baseball, wondering why the veteran cemented his plans so quickly.

Was the afterglow of the Jays’ amazing World Series run that powerful to make Bieber leave money on the table to return on a one-year deal? Was he banking on himself to further enhance his free-agency status a year down the road?

Turns out — as is often the case — there is more to the story.

Jays general manager Ross Atkins hinted at concern when he spoke at the Winter Meetings, which wrap up here on Wednesday, when he noted that there is “potential of (Bieber) not being 100% at the very start,” of the 2026 season.

“We’l

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