In a major blow to the Cleveland Guardians, ace pitcher Shane Bieber will undergo surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, according to an announcement by the team on Saturday. The surgery, which will sideline Bieber for the rest of the 2024 season, is necessary due to a re-injury of his proximal ulnar collateral ligament.

Bieber, who had been in excellent form with two scoreless starts this season, experienced a recurrence of medial right elbow pain following his most recent start against the Seattle Mariners. Further medical evaluations confirmed the need for surgical reconstruction of the ligament. The Guardians will coordinate the surgery with renowned sports medicine physician Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas.

The 29-year-old pitcher had previously been sidelined for two months last season due to elbow inflammation, limiting his appearances to 21 starts and 128 innings. While Bieber made a strong recovery during the offseason and looked impressive in spring training and his first two starts of the year, it is now evident that his elbow requires repair.

The timing of Bieber's injury is unfortunate for the Guardians, who were off to a promising start with a 6-2 record. The team is already without right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams, who is dealing with elbow inflammation, and top prospect Daniel Espino, who will miss the entirety of the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery. This depletion of pitching depth will pose a significant challenge for the Guardians moving forward.

Additionally, Bieber's upcoming surgery raises questions about his future with the team. As a free agent after the season, the low payroll of the Guardians makes it unlikely for them to engage in a high-stakes bidding war to retain Bieber's services. While high-end starters can still command lucrative short-term contracts even after injury, it remains uncertain if Bieber's time with Cleveland has come to an end.

The loss of Bieber also has implications for the Guardians in terms of potential trade opportunities. With a strong start to the season, the team could have been in a position to deal Bieber for a significant package of players at the trade deadline. However, with his impending surgery and impending free agency, the Guardians now face the possibility of losing him without any return.

Shane Bieber, who turns 29 in May, boasts an impressive career ERA of 3.22 in 843 innings across seven MLB seasons. He won the AL Cy Young award in the shortened 2020 season. If Bieber undergoes Tommy John surgery, his recovery would extend until the middle of the 2025 season, while the internal brace procedure could potentially have him back in time for Opening Day or shortly thereafter.

The loss of a key player like Bieber is undoubtedly a significant setback for the Guardians, both in terms of their immediate performance and their strategic planning for the future. As the team deals with this challenging situation, they will need to rely on their remaining pitching depth and make strategic decisions to navigate the rest of the 2024 season.