The Toronto Blue Jays will be without last season’s splashy deadline addition to start 2026.

Shane Bieber won’t be ready for Opening Day and will have a delayed ramp-up due to forearm fatigue, Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters on Tuesday.

Bieber was described as “week-to-week” by the Toronto skipper.

The 30-year-old right-hander completed his rehab from an April 2024 Tommy John surgery with the Blue Jays after being acquired at the 2025 trade deadline for Khal Stephen.

Bieber was instrumental down the stretch and in the postseason for the Blue Jays. He made seven regular-season starts, pitching to a 3.57 ERA with 37 strikeouts and seven walks over 40.1 innings. Then in October Bieber tossed 18.2 innings – four starts and one relief appearance – recording a 3.86 ERA with 18 strikeouts and six walks.

This included 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 4 of the World Series against a formidable Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, leading to a 6-2 Blue Jays win.

Bieber unexpectedly picked up his $16-million player option for the 2026 season on Nov. 5, four days after Toronto’s Game 7 loss in the Fall Classic.

With Bieber out to start the season and Bowden Francis set to undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, the Blue Jays starting pitching depth appears to lead with Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage, while Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce and Eric Lauer stand to compete for the final three spots.

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