Speaking on Thursday's edition of 'Blue Bird Territory,' former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made the case for a reunion with free agent pitcher Shane Bieber this offseason. Pillar noted the upside of Bieber and how well he's fit into the mix since arriving at the trade deadline in 2025.

Bieber has said that he wants to return to Toronto as well, but obviously, the new league year hasn't even started yet. Free agency won't start until five days after the conclusion of the World Series.

Now 31 years old, Bieber is a nine-year veteran of the Cleveland Guardians and Blue Jays. He will turn 32 in May of 2027. He owns a career record of 71-36 and an ERA of 3.31. He won the American League Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, when he went 8-1 with a 1.63 for Cleveland.

In parts of two seasons with Toronto, he went 9-4 with a 4.03 ERA. He only made 18 regular season appearances between the two years though. However, he was critical in the team's 2025 playoff run, even starting Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.

Injuries have unfortunately been part of the story for him though. He missed all but two starts in 2024 because of Tommy John surgery and then missed the first half of 2025 while recovering. He didn't pitch until June of 2026 because of forearm fatigue related to his Tommy John surgery, and he didn't pitch after Aug. 20 because of a shoulder issue.

As is the case with every single thing we talk about this offseason, we have to look at the situation with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We don't know how much money Bieber wants in free agency, and we don't know what financial rules the sport will be playing by in 2027.

Are the Blue Jays eager to sign free agents in the one month lead-up to the probable lockout, or do they want to wait and see where things are at? Are players like Bieber eager to sign deals in the one month lead-up, or do they also want to wait and see?

It really all remains to be seen.

In my estimation? No. The Blue Jays already have Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce and Jose Soriano penciled into four of five rotation spots. And while 2026 showed us you can never have enough pitching depth, the Jays do have Bowden Francis, Jose Berrios, Ricky Tiedemann, Nolan Perry, Jake Bloss and others who could fill that fifth spot.

I just feel that the Jays resources would be better spent on addressing the offensive woes. But again, if the financial situation remains an open-market economy, Toronto has plenty of room to work with. At that point, I'd likely change my tune and implore the Jays to make additional moves too.