The White Sox announced this afternoon that veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger will miss the remainder of the 2024 season following disc replacement surgery in his neck, which he’s scheduled to undergo on August 1. The 33-year-old has been on the injured list due to elbow inflammation since late May but started a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level last month.
Clevinger, 33, will ultimately make just four starts in the majors this year after signing with the White Sox on a $3MM deal shortly after Opening Day. He struggled in the limited time he was healthy enough to take the mound with a 6.75 ERA and 6.21 FIP in 16 innings of work. It’s a disappointing showing for both player and team in Clevinger’s second consecutive year with the White Sox, particularly after he delivered a solid season in 2023 when he posted a 3.77 ERA and 4.28 FIP in 131 1/3 innings of work while ending the season on a strong note with a 2.45 ERA over his final 11 starts.
That strong stretch to end the 2023 campaign was reminiscent of the veteran’s best days, when he pitched for Cleveland. After a difficult rookie season in 2016, Clevinger broke out in 2017 to become one of the better starters in the game and over the next three seasons posted a fantastic 2.96 ERA with a 3.32 FIP in 447 2/3 innings of work. Among pitchers with at least 400 innings of work across those three seasons, Clevinger’s ERA ranked sixth in the majors behind a quintet of multi-time Cy Young award winners: Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Corey Kluber.
Unfortunately, things came off the rails for Clevinger shortly after he was traded to the Padres during the shortened 2020 season. He underwent Tommy John surgery late in the year and missed the entire 2021 campaign while rehabbing. He’s struggled to stay on the mound ever since, having pitched just just 303 1/3 innings of work total since the start of the 2023 season. While his overall numbers during that time paint a picture of a roughly average back-end arm, he’s frequent injury woes and step back from his peak in the late 2010’s have left him unable to contribute anything even close to his former dominant form.
While Clevinger’s injury woes and lackluster results when he did take the mound this year left him a somewhat unlikely trade candidate in the days leading up to Tuesday’s deadline, his impending surgery not only eliminates whatever remote possibility of a trade still existed but also leaves the White Sox without a veteran arm who otherwise may have been able to fill out the rotation following the possible departure of arms like Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet, both of whom have found themselves in the rumor mill quite frequently this summer.
A timeline for Clevinger’s return to the mound isn’t yet clear, though it’s worth noting that veteran outfielder Jesse Winker underwent a similar procedure in October 2022 and was back in action in time for Spring Training last year. If Clevinger follows a similar timeline, he’ll enter free agency this winter coming off a lost season in 2024 but likely to be ready to go in time for when pitchers and catchers report next February.
And after the cervical surgery recovery, then the TJS. Growing old bites…..
Clevinger was part of the boneheaded SP trades the Angels loved to make during the early to mid 2010s.
Examples include Vinnie Pestano for Mike Clevinger and everyone’s favorite Dan Haren for Patrick Corbin, Tyler Skaggs, and Joe Sanders (among others) gem.
Go Halos.
He done
He gone !
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
So many will be disapointed.
Oh boy…. that’s going to seriously hurt the White Sox playoff chances.
Fortunately, there’s still time to add an arm or two before the trade deadline.
Good point, maybe even a couple of bats, some bullpen help and maybe another team for Tommy Pham….the words out that he’s getting antsy again.
cooked!
What these guys put themselves through for our entertainment!
Cardinals to trade for nobody as usual.
Does he still owe alimony to the kids that he abandoned?
Bauer’s best friend
The head hobo on a trainload this season.
Oh no… Anyway
Clevinger and Bauer used to laugh when they learned that Roger Beshens Football Slider back in 2018. Bauer even said he “taught” himself.
Karma. Sometimes the sun shines on you and sometimes it doesn’t.
Clevinger and Bauer.
RIP.
Every time I see a picture of that guy, he reminds me of a redneck wearing a wife beater chugging on a 12 pack of beer sitting on his porch shooting drunkenly at squirrels with a BB gun
Bye Felicia
Wow, this is so typically a ‘White Sox story.’ Getz and Jerry just threw away $3 million, and he turned down an almost similar offer to stay. Dude had a 6+ ERA!!! Why even bring his back? The bad decisions NEVER stop. LOL. SMH
The game is not going to miss him at all and I think he’s done in MLB
Clevinger’s next deal is almost certain to be of the minor league variety
Manfred Surgery
Mike’s mechanics were always unorthodox. I often wondered how his pitching coaches would agonize over sorting out his video sessions…
Clevinger wouldn’t even be around without him learning that Roger Beshens Football slider.back in May 2018.
His pitching coaches got hired reading how to throw that slider and more than likely since they never threw it in a game, don’t know everything about it too effective or keep the pitcher healthy.
bro is always hurt. does he beat himself too?
The big 5 inch hurt. Yes.