Cleveland Indians: Three trade destinations for Mike Clevinger
By David Hill
The Cleveland Indians may not want to trade Mike Clevinger, but they could find themselves without a choice in the matter.
Nominally, the Cleveland Indians will have a pair of upgrades for the rotation at the start of next week. Both Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac will be eligible to return from the Indians’ alternate training site, although it is questionable as to whether or not they will be activated.
Logically, the Indians have the perfect move to make. They could designate Adam Plutko for assignment, and bring Clevinger back to fill his spot on the roster. Plutko has a 6.68 ERA and a 1.412 WHiP in his 17 innings, striking out nine batters with three walks. He is a solid depth pitcher, but not someone that can fill a major league rotation for the long term.
But there is a major problem with that scenario. Plutko was one of the most vocal players regarding Clevinger’s decision to leave their travel bubble without telling anyone and to then fly on the team plane. As much as it may make sense as a baseball move, the optics are terrible. With players on the team outright stating they would opt out had Clevinger been allowed to return, sending Plutko away for him could be a disaster in the clubhouse.
Nonetheless, the Cleveland Indians need to do something with Clevinger. They are not likely to just have him remain in the alternate training site when he could help with a postseason push, especially as he has developed into one of the top starters in the game. As unlikely as it may be, a trade could be a possibility.
If the Cleveland Indians do trade Mike Clevinger, where could he end up? Let’s look at three options.