Khal Stephen vs Shane Bieber: Who won the trade - Guardians or Blue Jays? Here's a breakdown

The Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians announced a blockbuster trade on Thursday, with pitcher Shane Bieber moving to Toronto for right-hander Khal Stephen

Published on: Jul 31, 2025, 20:32:30 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians announced a blockbuster trade on Thursday, with pitcher Shane Bieber moving to Toronto for right-hander Khal Stephen. Bieber, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery in April 2024, already has five rehab starts under his belt. On Tuesday, he allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven in four innings for Double-A Akron. He was scheduled to start on Sunday, too.

Former Cleveland Guardians' Shane Bieber stands in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels (AP)

Shane Bieber is a proven star. The 30-year-old has spent his entire career in Cleveland. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020 and has a career record of 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA and 958 strikeouts in 136 games, with 134 starts since his debut in 2018. He agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract last fall with a $16 million player option for 2026.

Khal Stephen is 22 and emerging. He has a combined record of 9-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 18 games, with 17 starts, in the Blue Jays' farm system this season. He was a second-round selection (59th overall) by Toronto in the 2024 amateur draft. He made one start for Double-A New Hampshire following his promotion on July 20 before being placed on the injured list with right shoulder impingement.

Stephen has had an excellent season across the levels of the minors. The 22-year-old dominated Single-A and High-A hitters alike before earning a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire on July 20.

The former Blue Jay recorded a single start for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and landed on the seven-day injured list earlier this month. He had a shoulder impingement that is considered mild.

The Guardians also dealt reliever Paul Sewald to the Detroit Tigers for a player to be named later.

(With inputs from the Associated Press)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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