Indians Trade Star Pitcher Mike Clevinger To Padres

Just a few days after it was reported that Indians’ star pitcher Mike Clevinger was slammed by his teammates during a team meeting for breaking the coronavirus code of conduct, he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

“I wasn’t gonna let that moment define me as a person going forward,” he said. “I know the changes that had to be put in place and maybe some self-reflecting that needed to be done was done, and I never wanna put any organization let alone the Indians in a predicament like that again. I never was a distraction before and I don’t plan on ever being a distraction from anybody.”

So, with these tensions, it seems that a move to San Diego, who has made five trades in the past week, pushing for a playoff spot, is well-timed. “I’m super excited,” Clevinger said Monday of playing for the Padres. “It’s the most exciting team in baseball by far right now. It’s kind of the place to be right now.”

The Padres have won seven of their last ten games and hold second place in the National League.

The Indians do not shy away from trading away their aces and even without Clevinger, they are likely to compete for the AL Central title and currently hold fourth place in the American League. Cleveland received right-hander Cal Quantrill, outfielder Josh Naylor and catcher Austin Hedges, along with three minor league prospects: shortstop Gabriel Arias, left-hander Joey Cantillo and shortstop Owen Miller.