Shane Bieber is finally looking like himself just in time for the Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians may finally have their ace back in Shane Bieber.

The Cleveland Guardians are finally looking like a complete baseball team, thanks to timely hitting from Owen Miller and Jose Ramirez, as well as stellar pitching from Cal Quantrill and Triston McKenzie. The name that seemed to be struggling from the rotation, unexpectedly to boot was Shane Bieber. Bieber didn’t look like the Bieber as old to start the year, and many, myself included, believed this had more to do with the lack of spring training and not due to anything else.

“Just give him time,” we all said. Concerns started to mount the longer it took Bieber to look like his former Cy Young self but finally, after nearly two months, we finally say it;

Shane Bieber is back.

Shane Bieber has seemingly returned to form for the Cleveland Guardians; finally

The Cleveland Guardians needed Bieber to return to form, or this season was going to get away from them in a hurry. Through his first 38.2 innings pitched, he was anything but great. While he only had an ERA of 3.72, that’s not Cy Young worthy. Bieber is the Ace of the staff. He shouldn’t have an ERA that makes people think he’s the fourth starter in a rotation having a career year.

He didn’t post one double-digit strikeout performance, even having a game against Toronto where he went just three and a third, with zero strikeouts. In his first seven starts, he had just 36 strikeouts and averaged just over five innings per game. A far cry from his once-dominant self.

Over his last three starts, however, he’s averaging over seven innings, nearly nine strikeouts, and just 1.6 runs per start. It’s not just the obvious stats either. He’s going into the seventh innings now just under 100 pitches per game, or just above it. Before May 22, Bieber only once threw 100 pitches and got through the seventh inning.

His control is back, his endurance is back and his velocity seems back as well. Yes, the last three starts were against the Tigers (twice) and the Orioles but it’s something. After all, he had starts against the Royals, Reds, and A’s, equally as bad teams, and he didn’t light up the box score.

So this is clearly progress and it’s not a minute too soon as the Guardians are finally within .500 and only 4.5 back of the Twins.