Throughout the season the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated the best pitcher in baseball. This week we're going to tackle Shane Bieber's future.
Where will Shane Bieber be after the trade deadline? What about Opening Day 2025?
R.J. Anderson: I'll say Bieber is on the Cardinals come August. I think they'll still be in the race -- the Guardians may be, too, mind you -- and they'll probably want a little more rotation help. Harder to make a guess about next season. I'm inclined to say the Angels, because they chased after Blake Snell and I could see them doing the same with Bieber. But, at the same time, if he has a good year then maybe he lands with the Rangers, the Giants, or a superior team along those lines.
Matt Snyder: I'll go Orioles for Bieber after the trade deadline. Mike Elias already swung a deal for a rental pitcher in Corbin Burnes and showed that he could deal from prospect depth without touching the highest levels of his prospects in order to do so. Bieber will be similar, in that Elias can outbid most other teams without really hurting their stature as the farm system king. As for next year, man, this is tough. I'll say the Mariners. They'll likely have some money to spend and at least one open rotation spot.
Dayn Perry: I'll say the Cubs land him at the deadline (yes, I'm assuming the Guardians move Bieber even if they're in contention). Chicago may wind up in a tight race for the NL Central crown, and adding Bieber to a rotation that could probably use some help toward the front end seems like a possibility. As well, the Cubs' farm system is deep, particularly when it comes to position players, and they could tap into that depth to land what may be the prize of the deadline. As for his forthcoming free agency, I'll say the Mets, who figure to have rotation needs next offseason.
Mike Axisa: The Guardians are willing to trade core players even when they're in contention (Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, etc.), so I think Bieber gets dealt no matter where Cleveland sits in the standings. I'll say he winds up with the Reds. They're ready to compete for a postseason berth and you'd needn't try to see them needing a starter to get over the hump. I think Bieber goes to the Reds at the trade deadline, then he signs with his hometown Angels as the free agent this coming offseason.
