There’s no rush to get Shane Bieber back in the fold, as he remains without an exact timeline to pitching off a mound for the first time this spring.

Already armed with seven MLB-calibre starters in camp, the Toronto Blue Jays can afford to take their time with Bieber, who’s been building up slowly while preparing for his first full post-Tommy John season in 2026. He’s yet to throw a bullpen session thus far, but has been playing catch at 120 feet for the past few weeks.

Bieber, who logged 88 total innings last season between the regular and post-season, will begin this season on the injured list with right forearm fatigue — an ailment that flared up down the stretch of ’25 and once again during his off-season ramp-up.

By all accounts, everything remains on schedule regarding the Blue Jays’ plan for Bieber as he enters his second season with the franchise after opting into his $16 million player option — which would’ve included a $4 million buyout had he opted for free agency instead — back in November.

The 30-year-old starter, acquired by Toronto from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for prospect Khal Stepehen ahead of last season’s trade deadline, made a trio of Triple-A rehab appearances with Buffalo before returning to the majors. In seven post-trade starts, he pitched to a 3.57 ERA and 4.47 FIP along with an 18.9 per cent strikeout-minus-walk rate across 40.1 innings.

It’s possible Bieber could be ready to rejoin the Blue Jays’ crowded rotation at some point in late April or early May. However, the organization likely won’t be able to map out an exact timeframe until his starter’s build-up commences, though it’s unclear when that will be or what it’ll look like with only three weeks until Opening Day.

The main priority here is ensuring Bieber is prepared to sustain the marathon of an entire season, even with his delayed start, while also preserving enough gas in the tank for another deep playoff run this fall. This isn’t a sprint to the finish line like it was last season. It’s about enduring the long haul, and this team has more than enough depth to cover until he’s ready to jump back in.

Even without Bieber, there’s still a strong possibility that Toronto will break camp with more quality big-league starters than rotation spots available, with Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, José Berríos, Max Scherzer and Eric Lauer all in the mix.

Beginning this season with a seven-man rotation isn’t feasible, meaning they’ll have to subtract at least one name from this group — barring injury, of course — by the end of spring training. In all likelihood, that’ll probably end up being Lauer, given his versatility and favourable reliever profile, also making him an ideal piggyback candidate for Yesavage as he inches closer to the reality of his build-up carrying over into the regular season.

In a pinch, though, Lauer could also probably cover innings as a starter early on if needed. But with six other starters in play, chances are that wouldn’t be necessary, though it further highlights the depth that’ll allow Bieber to continue building up at his own pace.

While Bieber isn’t needed in the short term, the two-time All-Star remains an important piece of the Blue Jays’ rotation puzzle for this season, projecting as a dependable mid-rotation starter upon his eventual IL return.