Shane Bieber struck out nine over six innings of one-run ball in his Toronto debut and return from a 16-month absence as the Blue Jays beat the Miami Marlins 5-2.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider grinned wide and proclaimed himself a diehard fan. “I’ve got Bieber Fever,” he said, proudly. “I’m a believer.”

Bieber struck out the side in the fourth inning, baffling hitters with late-breaking sliders and well-located fastballs. His final line: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K on 84 pitches. The only damage came off the bat of Javier Sanoja, who clubbed a solo home run in the second inning to left-center field.

Shane Bieber, pitching in the majors for the first time in 507 days, worked six strong innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the host Miami Marlins on Friday night.

Shane Bieber was always the acquisition that would define the Toronto Blue Jays’ trade deadline. The Jays patched holes with three other moves ahead of July 31, acquiring relievers, catching depth and a right-handed bat. But Bieber was the big swing — an admitted gamble on a ceiling-raising talent.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.‘s recovery is taking a bit longer than what was originally expected. The Toronto Blue Jays superstar has once again been left out of the lineup as they gear up for the series opener against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

Ryan Bergert (1-1, 2.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 51 strikeouts); Tigers: Casey Mize (12-4, 3.63 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 103 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -159, Royals +134; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Tigers host the Kansas City Royals to start a three-game series.

Pregame analysis and predictions of the New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves MLB game to be played on August 22, 2025 on ESPN.