Shane Bieber Injury Update: Guardians All Star pitcher suffers season ending Tommy John surgery

After spending significant portions of 2023 on the Injured List, hope was high for Shane Bieber as the 2024 campaign dawned. However, it looks as though the former Cy Young Award winner will spend the rest of the year on the sidelines.

After a relatively strong start to the season, it was announced on Apr. 6 that Bieber would undergo Tommy John surgery. The first such procedure of his career, the surgery means that Bieber will not pitch again this season.

"The Guardians announced that Shane Bieber will undergo Tommy John Surgery and will be out for the rest of the season" - FOX Sports: MLB

Red flags were first raised after the 28-year old began to complain of elbow discomfort during his pair of starts on the Guardians' roadtrip, against the A's and Seattle Mariners. Based on the current information surrounding Bieber's condition, it's likely that he will not be back in action until mid-2025.

A fourth-round pick for Cleveland back in 2016, Bieber didn't wait long to make his impact on the league. After putting up a pair of complete game shutouts in his sophomore year in 2019, the California-native went 8-1.

He led the MLB with a 1.63 ERA to win the Cy Young Award during the shortened 2020 season.

"Shane Bieber is looking so elite to start 2024.. Do the Guardians get him his extension tho??" - RGS

After inking a one-year, $10.01 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians last year, elbow issues began to become a concern. Shane Bieber was sidelined in late July and didn't come back until September. In 21 starts last year, Bieber went 6-6, sporting a 3.80 ERA.

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Shane Bieber has no choice but to go under the knife

Undoubtedly troubled by his health issues, especially after a bumpy 2023, Shane Bieber sought out the advice of well-known sports doctor Neal El Attrache.

Known as the doctor who performed surgery on Shohei Ohtani last year, El Attrache confirmed the worst, with SI quoting the doctor as saying:

"Given the recurrence of symptoms following an extended period of rest and rehabilitation during the 2023 season and subsequent off-season, surgical reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament has been recommended. We are in the process of coordinating surgery with Dr. Meister in Dallas"

Tommy John surgery was probably the last thing that Bieber expected for 2024. However, it's his reality now and will remain so for the forseeable future.