Yankees Could Steal Away Guardians Star Pitcher

The New York Yankees could be major threats to steal away this star pitcher from the Cleveland Guardians.

May 31, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber (57) awaits the sign in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians have already lost one pitcher to free agency, as Matthew Boyd just signed with the Chicago Cubs.

Could the Guardians lose another?

Shane Bieber is also on the open market, and there seems to be a good chance that the former Cy Young award winner could sign elsewhere.

After all, Bieber is coming off of Tommy John surgery, and Cleveland is not a spendthrift franchise as it is. If the right-hander is looking for anything more than a one-year deal (or maybe a one-year pact with an option for a second year), the Guardians may pass.

So, who will be Cleveland's top competition for the two-time All-Star?

There will be no shortage of potential suitors for Bieber, who, when healthy, is one of the better starting pitchers in the game.

But one potential team would make plenty of sense and should be taken very seriously as a threat to poach Bieber: the New York Yankees.

That would really sting, considering it was the Yankees who just ousted the Guardians in the ALCS, but when you consider New York's recent history of trying to work with reclamation projects, Bieber makes perfect sense.

The Yankees are currently trying to re-sign Juan Soto, and if he stays, it will likely cost them in excess of $600 million. That won't leave a whole lot of money left for New York to sign any other top free agents, so Corbin Burnes is probably out of the question.

Bieber, however, may very much be on the table on an incentive-laden contract.

The Yankees need another starting pitcher, and Bieber would certainly slot in very nicely behind Gerrit Cole.

New York has signed former Cleveland pitchers before. Remember: back in 2021, the Yanks tried to revitalize Corey Kluber.

The Yankees have become very adept at finding injury-prone stars on bargain deals, and Bieber could represent that type of signing for the Bronx Bombers.

Of course, the Guardians can always retain Bieber, but it seems relatively unlikely that they will engage in any sort of bidding war for a pitcher who has made just 23 starts over the last two seasons.