San Diego is clearly fully confident in Fernando Tatís Jr’s ability to lead them to the World Series after this shortened season. Now, they’ve gone the extra mile by pulling off a couple of moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

They’re currently holding on to a 21-15 record and trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by 5.0 games in the NL West. Now, they have another ace for their rotation to help Tatís Jr with his MVP-caliber campaign.

Padres Trade For Mike Clevinger

Cleveland Indians finally traded their ace Mike Clevinger in the aftermath of his infamous incident earlier in the season. He broke the team’s rules regarding Covid-19 prevention and his time with the Tribe was poised to come to an end.

However, the team’s asking price for Clevinger was believed to be way too high, meaning the Padres had to make an offer they just couldn’t refuse. According to reports, they had to send as much as six players in return.

Clevinger has posted a 1-1 record with a3.18 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and a 1.368 WHIPin 4 starts and 22.2 IP this season and the Padres will keep him under contract for at least a couple of more seasons.

Padres Go All-In During The Deadline

Besides Clevinger, the Padres also added Jason Castro, Austin Nola, three relievers (including Trevor Rosenthal), and veteran slugger Mitch Moreland, so yeah, AJ Preller is definitely high on this team’s chances.

Fernando Tatís Jr continues to turn heads and has become the most exciting player to watch this year. Thus far, he’s slashing .315/.395/.657 with 13 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases for the Padres.

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 worksince 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.

But with the shortened season, the players who opted-out, and how the campaign has unveiled thus far, it seems like we’re looking at the quietest trade deadline in Major League Baseball history.

As you may know by now, this season has been far from normal. Besides the multiple Covid-19 outbreaks, rule changes, postponed games, expanded playoffs pool,and constant double-headers, the teams that weren’t supposed to be good had been dominating.

Most MLB Managers Wary Of Making Moves

That means most executives and MLB managers are still wary of making moves considering the playoffs aren’t out of reach even for struggling teams after a third of the season is in the books, thus making it harder to know who’s going where.

Then again, there is a handful of players that have been linked with a move out of their current clubs, with several MLB managers and executives rubbing their hands with the chance of landing them at a discount.

Most Likely Trade Candidates

According to MLB, Taljuwan Walker, Kevin Pillar, Trevor Rosenthal, Kevin Gausman, Jonathan Schoop, Keone Kela, and Alex Cobb are the most likely trade candidates as we continue to approach the deadline.

Moreover, Cleveland Indians’ starting pitcher duo Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac were also rumored to be on the move, with both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox reportedly inquiring about their availability.

The August 31 trade deadline will most likely seal the fate of some teams. Whether they want to continue pursuing a playoff berth or planning ahead of the 2021 campaign will depend on their approach but for now, we wouldn’t count on any ground-making moves.

Clevinger and Plesac went out for a drink in Chicago. That drink may have costthem their career at Ohio, as veteran Oliver Perez and other players have vowed to leave the team if they’re ever allowed back in the rotation.

That put the Indians on a bit of a predicament but it might as well be a blessing in disguise. At the end of the day, they’re both very good pitchers that could draw a lot of value in the trade block, and Cleveland could certainly use a couple of new pieces.

New York Yankees A Likely Destination

The New York Yankees have plenty of bats to spare. What they lack is a trustworthy rotation, even after Gerrit Cole’s addition. It’s been clear that the Bronx Bombers have needed more arms for years, and this may be the perfect opportunity for them.

Aaron Boone has never been fond of Clint Frazier, while Miguel Andújar has struggled with his swing all year. Estevan Florial and/or Canaan Smith could also be a part of any potential move for either Plesac, Clevinger, or even both, according to Fansided.

Boston Red Sox Craving Pitchers

There’s also the possibility that the Boston Red Sox try to make a move planning ahead of next season. They could add Clevinger and Plesac and hope Chris Sale finally comes back at full strength. Add Xander Bogaerts, JD Martínez, and Rafael Devers to the mix and they could think about contending again.

The Red Sox could try and create a package centered around Alex Verdugo to get one of those guys and improve their horrid 7.19 ERA. You know what they say: one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.