CHICAGO (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber rejoined the team on Friday and could be activated from the injured list in the next few days, manager John Schneider said.
Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner, hasn’t pitched this season. He was placed on the 15-day injured list in March with elbow inflammation and later transferred to the 60-day IL.
The 31-year-old Bieber just completed a five-game rehab stint with a start for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. Bieber allowed five runs and 11 baserunners in five-plus innings, throwing 80 pitches with his velocity reaching 93 mph.
After joining the team in Chicago, Bieber is to throw a side session at Wrigley Field on Saturday and could be activated shortly afterward, possibly rejoining Toronto’s depleted rotation on Monday.
“He’s here. He’s feeling good,” Schneider said. “After the side tomorrow, we’ll figure out a a plan for him.”
Schneider said Saturday’s session was to address “some housekeeping stuff really, just make sure you’re feeling good. All signs point towards he’ll be ready to go.”
Toronto acquired Bieber from Cleveland at last year’s trade deadline. The two-time All-Star went 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA in seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays after returning from Tommy John surgery.
Bieber then went 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five postseason games as AL champion Toronto advanced to Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He exercised his $16 million player option in the offseason to remain with the Blue Jays rather than explore free agency.
Bieber was transferred to the 60-day injured list on April 13 when Toronto acquired infielder Lenyn Sosa in a trade with the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Jordan Rich and future considerations.
In a roster move on Friday, the Blue Jays recalled left-hander Brendon Little from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned right-hander Chad Dallas to the farm club. Little was available against the Cubs.
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FILE - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 4 of baseball's World Series, Oct. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
LONDON (AP) — Kane who?
Henry Nicholls, recalled by New Zealand to replace retired great Kane Williamson, smacked an unbeaten century against England to help boost their lead to a formidable 352 on day three Friday of The Oval test.
New Zealand was 252-3 in its second innings at stumps, effectively 352-3 after earning a hefty 100-run first innings lead by dismissing England for 291 on the stroke of lunch.
Nicholls reached stumps on 119 and featured on a blue sky day with Rachin Ravindra, out for 76. They first steadied the innings, rebuilt it, then flayed England after tea.
Their partnership of 161 from 201 balls is New Zealand’s highest ever at The Oval.
New Zealand is under pressure to win the match to set up a series decider in the third test in Nottingham next week. The Black Caps will be wary of giving England a sniff after being chased down in all three tests on the last tour in 2022.
New Zealand has seven wickets in hand and time to impose a 500-run lead before unleashing its resting pace attack.
England's highest successful fourth-innings chase to win at The Oval was 263 against Australia in 1902, and its highest ever anywhere was 378-3 against India in 2022 at Edgbaston at the start of Bazball.
Nicholls landed in London only last Sunday to fill the shoes of New Zealand's highest run-scorer. He dragged on in the first innings on 24 and walked out at 8-1 in the third over of the second innings to face fast bowler Jofra Archer hitting 147 kph (91mph). Nicholls survived, lost Devon Conway soon after, and dug in with Ravindra.
They gradually took the sting out of England and lulled a crowd bathing in sunshine.
Nicholls kept his head down while Ravindra looked to play shots, so offered chances. He was dropped on 7 by wicketkeeper James Rew, a tough, low chance that spilled out of his left glove.
Rew, on debut, has come under scrutiny. He's the second England keeper in the last 20 years to drop at least two catches and concede at least 25 byes in a game; Matt Prior was the other in 2014. Rew conceded 22 byes in the first innings — not all his fault — and five on Friday.
Nicholls and Ravindra reached tea with patient 30s, and flicked a switch. After grinding down the English bowlers through the afternoon, the pair went after them after tea at nearly six runs per over with superb timing and placing.
Nicholls was first to 50, off 72 balls, followed by Ravindra, off 79, for his first fifty against England.
England despaired and it wasn't until captain Joe Root gave the ball to part-time slow left-armer Jacob Bethell that England started to make things happen. Bethell led with three wickets in the first innings and broke two big New Zealand partnerships.
In his first over he did it again when Ravindra missed an attempted sweep and was out lbw for 76 off 99 balls, 60 of those runs off boundaries.
Nicholls raised his hundred 20 minutes later off 133 balls, smashing Bethell to the midwicket fence for his 14th boundary. His 11th test century was also his second against England, the previous in 2018 in Auckland. He also had back-to-back hundreds after an unbeaten 150 last August in Zimbabwe.
Nicholls took off his helmet, saluted the warm applause from the crowd with his bat, and got on with it.
Together with Daryl Mitchell, 32 not out, they scored 63 runs off the day's last 86 balls without drama. Nicholls was basking on 119 from 164 balls.
Williamson never played a test at The Oval.
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England's Matt Fisher (left) celebrates with batting partner Sonny Baker after reaching 50 runs on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
England's Matt Fisher is hit by a bouncer from New Zealand's Will O'Rourke on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
England's Jacob Bethell celebrates taking the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra lbw on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Henry Nicholls celebrates reaching his century on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
England's Joe Root bowls on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Tom Latham leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Devon Conway leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
New Zealand's Henry Nicholls bats on day three of the second cricket test between England and New Zealand, in London, Friday June 19, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
