Cleveland Indians: Time running out on Shane Bieber extension

The Cleveland Indians are someway, somehow a game behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, with the southsiders currently boasting the best record in the major leagues.

It’s truly remarkable Cleveland is in the position its in entering play May 14. At times, the lineup can be tough to watch, but the team’s been able to lean on a great bullpen and strong starting pitching.

No starter has been better than reigning Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who currently is 4-2 with a 2.95 ERA. His 85 strikeouts currently lead Major League baseball.

One of the amazing things about the Tribe’s record is how Cleveland hasn’t lost  more than three games games in a row to this point. Bieber is the captain of this ship, and his ability allows the Tribe to right the ship when things go array.

Look at the Twins, and particularly the Royals right now. Those teams just don’t have someone who can step up and shut the other team down–at least not right now.

Cleveland Indians missed twice on Shane Bieber extension

Extension talks between the Cleveland Indians and the Shane Bieber were reported on during spring training, with nothing coming to fruition.

Now it’s come out that the Indians made two offers to Bieber of the course of the past two spring trainings, with talks being shelved both times before the start of the season. Bieber had expressed openness to an extension, but indicated he didn’t want to talk in-season, per MLB Trade rumors.

If you’re a Tribe fan jaded by the trades of Francisco Lindor, Mike Clevinger, Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber, then you’re shaking your head, because it seems like just a matter of time before another great finds himself playing in another uniform.

What was offered hasn’t been reported, but you can make some assumptions. Bieber is making $679,000. He hits arbitration next winter. You could surmise the Tribe would’ve used a familiar formula when making their pitch

The blueprint I’m referring to is Corey Kluber, who like Bieber, didn’t cash a huge bonus when he was selected in the draft. Both were fourth rounders. Kluber was coming off his Cy Young Award season after 2015 when he and the Tribe reached a deal.

Here’s how Kluber’s extension broke down (per Baseball-reference): 2015: $1.2MM; 2016: $4.7MM; 2017: $7.5MM; 2018: $10.5MM; 2019: $17 MM; 2020: $17.5 MM.

The big difference between the two is that Kluber was 29 in the 2015 season when he won the CY Young Award. Bieber just turned 25. He’s going to get a major pay increase when winter rolls around and he heads to arbitration.

The Indians would obviously like to have some control over his contract as even arbitration can get pricey. That Lindor was expected to make $17.5 million in arbitration this past season was one of the reasons tossed around as to why the Tribe wanted to get a deal done.

Remember, the Indians were hit hard in the pandemic. They’re currently letting scouts go in fear of what to come in MLB’s labor talks with the players’ union.

Since Kluber signed his deal six years ago, here’s another situation being floated around: Blake Snell. When news first broke of the talks between the Indians and Bieber, Snells deal of five years for $50 million was viewed as as starting point. 

To quote Paul Dolan’s notorious quote on Frankie Lindor, “Enjoy him,” when it comes to Bieber. He’ll be here at least 2022. It’s after that you’ve got to worry. He’ll only have two years of arbitration remaining and that’s when the Tribe can get maximum value on a deal.

If they wait until there’s one year left, well, we just saw what kind of return they got on Lindor.