Ever since he made his debut in 2017, it was pretty clear that Mike Clevinger was a cornerstone of the Cleveland Indians' plans going forward. Now, he's been involved with countless trade rumors as the MLB trade deadline is just around the corner.
Clevinger is one of the best pitchers in the league. He's got a 2.97 ERA, 1.196 WHIP, 3.43 FIP with averages of 10.22 K per 9 innings, and 3.55 BB per 9 innings in 470.1 innings of work since the 2017 season.
However, his lack of discipline and the fact that he broke the team's rules amid the Covid-19 pandemic infuriated some of his teammates, up to the point where they demanded the Indians to trade him or they would sit out.
Indians' Aking Too Much For Mike Clevinger
There's absolutely no doubt that Mike Clevinger is worth a couple of assets. He's just 29 years old, won't be a free agent for a while, and then numbers speak for themselves. Then again, Jon Heyman recently reported that the Indians' asking price is just 'ridiculous'.
"Clevinger is definitely being talked about in trade scenarios. Indians are known to listen on everyone and some see winter trade as more likely. Price said to be “ridiculous.” But it should be. Talented (141 ERA plus), young (29) and not a free agent for multiple more years," Heyman reported.
The New York Yankees were reportedly interested in acquiring his services and could have put together a package including Clint Frazier, Miguel Andújar, and one of their top-tier prospects like Estevan Florial or Deivi García. Now, it seems like those offers are off the table.
Clevinger recently came back to the mound after his infamous night out with Zach Plesac so it's likely that he's already apologized to both the organization and his teammates. That means the Indians have no true incentive to trade him unless they're whopped by a trade offer they just can't refuse.
As of today, the Indians have one of the strongest rotations in the Majors with Shane Bieber, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger, and even impressive rookie Triston McKenzie, so maybe it'll be for the best if they just hold on to their troublemaker for now.
