Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Guardians Rumors

Latest On Mike Clevinger

By | at

AUG. 31: The Blue Jays “don’t seem to be heavily involved on Clevinger,” according to Heyman, who lists the Padres, Braves and perhaps the White Sox as teams that appear to be in the mix.

AUG. 30, 9:48PM: The Blue Jays also have interest in Clevinger, Heyman tweets, but it isn’t known if Toronto is the “mystery team.”

8:07PM: Speculation continues to swirl about a possible Mike Clevinger trade, with multiple reports surfacing earlier tonight that the Padres had seemingly moved into the driver’s seat for the Indians righty.  The most recent word, however, is that other teams may have pulled ahead of San Diego, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter links) reports that the Tribe “have requested players’ physicals from at least two teams” but haven’t asked the Padres to submit such information. 

A mystery team has made a better offer for Clevinger than the Padres, Nightengale writes.  MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter links) reported earlier tonight that the Braves were still in the Clevinger sweepstakes even though the Padres were the “frontrunners” at the time, and two rival executives told Feinsand that Atlanta could very well be the team “making an aggressive play” to now top San Diego’s offer.  Top outfield prospect Drew Waters was reportedly part of the Indians’ trade ask from the Braves, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).

The Padres don’t seem to be willing to move either Trent Grisham or Jake Cronenworth, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter links), which could be a roadblock in a potential Clevinger trade.  Also from Heyman, the Yankees don’t appear to be the mystery team in the Clevinger hunt, as there is “no belief anything’s close” between New York and Cleveland.

The White Sox and Dodgers were also rumored to be interested in Clevinger earlier today, and with this much buzz around the right-hander, one wonders how close Cleveland might get to someone meeting its reportedly “ridiculous” asking price in any Clevinger trade.

White Sox, Indians Reportedly Discussing Mike Clevinger Trade

By | at

The White Sox and Indians are “actively involved” in trade talks surrounding Cleveland right-hander Mike Clevinger, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Jon Heyman of MLB Network adds the Braves, Yankees, Padres and Dodgers among Clevinger’s pursuers, adding that the right-hander has a “good chance” to be dealt.

As recently as Friday, it seemed unlikely Clevinger would go anywhere, with Cleveland apparently setting an extremely high price tag on him. The price tag seemingly remains high. Heyman hears that Cleveland would want big league talent in return (Twitter link), while Robert Murray reports that the initial ask was “four quality prospects.”

Clevinger’s violation of the Indians’ coronavirus protocols and subsequent demotion are well-known at this point and have made him an interesting trade candidate, although there’s no urgency (at least from an on-field perspective) for Cleveland to move him. Clevinger is controlled through 2022 via arbitration and has offered front-end production for most of the past four years.

The Braves and Yankees have been known to be targeting starting pitching, and Heyman adds that the Padres are seeking another starter. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are targeting players with multiple years of control, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Punkett of the Orange County Register), so Clevinger fits the bill.

The White Sox are also in the market for starters (even more so with Gio González hitting the injured list this afternoon), although a Clevinger deal would be extremely surprising. Players of his caliber with multiple years of control are seldom traded within the division, even less often between two immediate contenders.

Jackie Bradley Jr. Drawing Trade Interest

By | at

Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Boston Red Sox is eliciting trade interest from teams around the league ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. There’s no clear indication whether the Red Sox are offering their centerfielder up in trade discussions, but both the Giants and Indians are curious, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

Bradley has long been considered a standout defensive outfielder. He’s lost a step in the outfield by metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (2 DRS this season, -2.0 UZR), but he nonetheless remains a viable option to man the middle of the grass. Just last season, Bradley Jr. was worth 6 Outs Above Average by the Statcast metric, ranking as the very best in majors in reaction time. On his defensive prowess alone, Bradley Jr. could easily carve out a role on any number of contenders.

The offensive end tells a different tale. He’s long been a confounding presence at the plate, and this season hasn’t been Bradley’s finest with the stick. A triple slash of .253/.317/.363 still holds value when paired with his glove, however. It would be a little surprising for the Red Sox to hold onto him given that Bradley is a free agent at year’s end, and they’re one of the few teams in the majors all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs. Still, the Red Sox might see value in having his veteran voice in the clubhouse. Before prorating for the shortened season, JBJ was owed $11MM for the season, his last before free agency.

The Indians probably have enough bodies to man the corners of the outfield, but they’re thin in the middle after Oscar Mercado’s somewhat shocking sophomore season (-29 wRC+). Delino DeShields (84 wRC+) is their primary option in center with Greg Allen (48 wRC+) backing him up. The need is clear, but frankly, Bradley Jr. (82 WRC+) fits the mold of the players already on the roster. The Giants, meanwhile, would be surprising buyers, but their offense has kept them within striking distance of the wild card. Mike Yastrzemski has done an admirable job in center, but the Giants must prefer to keep him in a corner if possible. Steven Duggar has returned to the roster, but he’s struggled in limited action thus far (-7 wRC+).

Speculatively speaking, the Cubs or Brewers would be another pair of contenders that could potentially seek outfield help. The Brewers have been forced to play Avisail Garcia in center after Lorenzo Cain opted out for the season. The Brewers have been a disappointment this season on the whole, but they’re a perfect fit should Boston decide to deal Bradley. The Cubs are fairly well stocked in the outfield, and Albert Almora Jr. offers a similar option in terms of skillset, but they still have room for another outfielder on the roster and will definitely look for ways to upgrade. Team President Theo Epstein obviously has a history with Boston and should have no trouble getting his former club on the line, should they have interest.

Report: Indians’ Asking Price For Mike Clevinger “Ridiculous”

By | at

Indians right-hander Mike Clevinger returned Wednesday from a team-imposed demotion that lasted almost two weeks after he violated coronavirus protocols. Clevinger threw six innings of two-run ball in a win over the Twins in his comeback, though there continues to be trade speculation centering on the 29-year-old as the Aug. 31 deadline draws closer. He’s “definitely being talked about in trade scenarios,” tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network, but the Indians’ asking price is “ridiculous.”

Clevinger certainly isn’t the most popular player in the Cleveland organization in the wake of his recent off-field mistakes, though it’s hard to fault the club for placing a high price tag on him. After all, the hard-throwing Clevinger’s a proven front-line producer who’s affordable this year, in which he’s earning a prorated $4.1MM, and under control for two more full seasons via arbitration.

Since he broke out in 2017, Clevinger has posted a sparkling 2.97 ERA/3.43 FIP with 10.22 K/9 and 3.35 BB/9 in 470 1/3 innings. Along with AL Cy Young front-runner Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale and Carlos Carrasco, Clevinger helps give the Indians’ rotation one of the top quartets in baseball (and that’s without potential rising star Zach Plesac, whom the team optioned alongside Clevinger). There’s also rookie Triston McKenzie, who fired six innings of two-hit, one-run, 10-strikeout ball in his MLB debut versus the Tigers last Saturday.

Thanks in part to their overflow of quality starting pitching, the Indians have begun the year 19-12, atop the AL wild-card race and just a half-game behind the Twins in their division. With that in mind, there’s no reason for the contending Indians to part with Clevinger for anything less than a Godfather offer before Monday.

Indians Recall Mike Clevinger

By | at

Aug. 26: Cleveland has officially recalled Clevinger and optioned catcher Beau Taylor to the alternate site in a corresponding move. It’s worth noting, too, that while there’d been some drama surrounding the possibility that Clevinger’s path to free agency would be delayed if he spent 20 or more days at the alternate site, he’ll fall shy of that mark and remain on track for free agency after the 2022 campaign.

Aug. 25: The Indians announced that right-hander Mike Clevinger will be recalled from their alternate training site prior to tomorrow’s game with the Twins.  Clevinger will get the start in his return to big league action.

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Clevinger, who went from being the nominal ace of the Cleveland rotation to being placed on the restricted list, then sent to the club’s alternate training site, and now could even be a trade candidate.  It all stems from the now-infamous incident that saw Clevinger and Zach Plesac violate the Tribe’s COVID-19 protocols by leaving the team hotel for a night out in Chicago, and then not admitting their fault until the club itself discovered the transgression.  Clevinger’s involvement didn’t even come to light until Plesac had already issued an apology to his teammates after being quarantined.

The incident left many Indians players understandably upset at Clevinger and Plesac, particularly after Plesac compounded the problem with an Instagram video blaming the media for allegedly exaggerating the situation.  In regards to Plesac, Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told MLB.com’s Mandy Bell and other reporters that after Clevinger’s recall was announced, Antonetti called Plesac to say “they don’t have an opportunity for him at this time at the Major League level.”  As such, Plesac will continue to pitch at the alternate training site until an opening develops (or, given the August 31 trade deadline is nearing, perhaps until a trade can be worked out).

Amidst all this controversy, the Tribe is 17-12 and in possession of a wild card spot.  Somewhat incredibly, Cleveland has barely missed Clevinger or Plesac, with Shane Bieber posting Cy Young-caliber numbers, Aaron Civale and Carlos Carrasco pitching well, and Triston McKenzie coming off an eye-opening Major League debut.  Adam Plutko hasn’t been as effective, so he will likely be the odd man out now that Clevinger is back…or, perhaps just until Clevinger himself is dealt.

Clevinger has had an up-and-down year even just in terms of his on-field results.  While he has a 3.24 ERA over 16 2/3 innings, ERA indicators (6.25 FIP, 5.38 xFIP, 5.46 SIERA) and batted-ball data (a .376 xwOBA that is much higher than his .338 wOBA) hint that Clevinger hasn’t been himself on the mound.  Clevinger has been aided by a .205 BABIP and a 97.6% strand rate, while already allowing four home runs and 10 walks over his 16 2/3 frames.

Latest On Yankees’ Search For Pitching Help

By | at

8:13pm: The Yankees have called the Giants about righty Kevin Gausman, according to Martino. Gausman, whom the Giants signed to a one-year, $9MM contract last winter, has tossed 31 innings of 4.65 ERA ball (with a far shinier 3.10 FIP) and recorded 12.19 K/9 against 1.74 BB/9 this season. The 29-year-old spent 2013-18 in the Yankees’ division, the AL East, as a member of the Orioles.

8:50am: The Yankees find themselves in a familiar position with just six days until the Aug. 31 trade deadline: battling for first place in the AL East with a pitching staff that has been thinned out by injuries. Luis Severino won’t pitch this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and James Paxton just landed on the IL after weeks of shaky results with diminished velocity. Just as Aroldis Chapman returned for his season debut, Zack Britton went down with a hamstring strain. Tommy Kahnle had Tommy John surgery. Southpaw Luis Avilan is out with shoulder troubles. On top of the injuries, Domingo German’s suspension removes him from the depth chart for 2020.

New York still possesses a deep bullpen, even with Kahnle out for the year and Britton sidelined into September, but the rotation is much shakier. Gerrit Cole has been excellent thus far, but Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t thrown more than 71 pitches in a start. Jordan Montgomery has been shaky in his four starts, and J.A. Happ has yielded nine runs in 12 2/3 frames with more walks (10) than strikeouts (6). Cole and Jonathan Loaisiga, who has thrown a total of 5 1/3 innings, are the only Yankees pitchers who have started a game this year and currently carry an ERA under 4.60.

Unsurprisingly, the Yankees are in the market for arms — both in the ’pen and more importantly in the rotation. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees could be particularly intrigued by deals that could allow them to acquire a starter and reliever in one fell swoop. Most clubs are expected to be a bit more averse than usual to parting with prospects at this year’s deadline, given the shortened amount of time they’ll control the players in 2020 and the fact that ownership groups are less willing to take on salary. The Yankees are no exception, so doubling up in a single deal makes some sense.

SNY’s Andy Martino writes that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already been in touch with the Indians, who are said to be at least “open” to offers on recently demoted right-hander Mike Clevinger. The 29-year-old has been excellent dating back to 2017 (2.97 ERA, 10.2 K/9 in 464 2/3 innings) and has two years of club control remaining beyond 2020. However, he also angered his organization by violating health-and-safety protocols and taking a flight with the club before the team learned of his actions. Clevinger was limited to 21 starts last year due to a teres major strain and an ankle injury, as well.

Elsewhere, Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that the Yankees are among the many clubs to have inquired on Mariners righty Taijuan Walker. ]Walker is among the surest bets to move between now and Monday afternoon’s deadline, so it’d be more surprising to learn that the Yankees haven’t kicked the tires, but the initial interest is still worth noting. Walker is on a one-year, $2MM deal in Seattle this season and has pitched to a flat 4.00 ERA with a 25-to-8 K/BB ratio in 27 innings. Once one of MLB’s top pitching prospects, he pitched just 14 innings from 2018-19 due to injuries but has looked healthy thus far. Walker’s most recent start saw him hold the Dodgers to three runs on four hits and a walk with eight punchouts in seven innings.

There are obviously plenty of other places for the Yankees to look, but Cleveland and Seattle represent a pair of logical trade partners. If Clevinger is to move, the Indians will assuredly want immediate Major League help. They’re in second place in the AL Central and in clear win-now mode. Affordable outfield help will be paramount on the team’s wish list, as their current group has woefully underperformed. Speculatively speaking, Clint Frazier is a former top draft pick by the Indians. If Cleveland believes Miguel Andujar can play a competent left field, perhaps he’d be of interest as well. For a pitcher of Clevinger’s caliber, even with his stock down, they’d likely seek some additional prospect value rather than a straight-up swap, though. The rebuilding Mariners, meanwhile, may not be quite as insistent on adding MLB-ready help given that they’re not in the 2020 playoff picture. However, they’re beginning to see the fruits of their rebuild emerge at the big league level, so players who could help in the next year or two still seem likely to be an area of focus.

Latest On Mike Clevinger

By | at

There’s been plenty of trade speculation since right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac were optioned in the wake of their health-and-safety protocol violations, and while it’s still doesn’t seem as though the club is motivated to trade either player, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that Cleveland is “at least open to listening to offers” on Clevinger.

That’s a sentence that should be met with plenty of disclaimers, of course. Few players in MLB are ever truly “off limits” in today’s game. Front offices will typically listen to just about any offers. If anything, it’s more rare to hear that a player is completely untouchable than to hear that a team will listen. And ESPN’s Jeff Passan underscores that while it’s possible that a team will put together an offer too good for Cleveland to pass up, the team is also by no means shopping him. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal cites execs with other clubs in reporting that the team is “more open” to moving Clevinger than Plesac, which is no surprise given Plesac’s larger slate of club control (five years versus two) and Clevinger’s climbing arbitration salary.

The roadblocks to a Clevinger trade are plentiful. First and foremost is the simple fact that Cleveland is a better team with him in its rotation, and at 17-11, the Indians are a clear postseason favorite. Beyond that, Clevinger’s stock is at a low point. In addition to the recent demotion, the righty also walked 10 batters in 16 2/3 frames in his three starts this season. Most would bet on a pitcher with his track record righting the ship and bouncing back, but the most recent impression he’s made wasn’t necessarily a strong one.

The Indians likely wouldn’t weaken their current depth and sell low on a highly coveted asset simply to make a disciplinary statement; they’d need some big league help in return — perhaps in the outfield — and need to feel that they’re receiving long-term value as well … all without taking on too much salary. As a reminder, Cleveland spent much of the offseason working to curb its payroll, dropping from a $119MM Opening Day in 2019 to a $97MM mark in 2020 (prior to prorating for the shortened season). A club already working to trim its bottom line can’t be expected to add expensive pieces in the wake of substantial revenue loss.

All that said, it’s also not unthinkable that a deal might come together. The emergence of Plesac and Aaron Civale gives Cleveland what looks to be yet another pair of useful arms to add to a perennially deep supply. Triston McKenzie’s impressive debut over the weekend can only have made them more bullish on their depth. As we’ve noted here recently (and as highlighted by both Passan and Rosenthal), the Indians’ outfield has been a disaster. If they can line up on a deal that nets a big league outfielder with comparable (or greater) team control along with some legitimate prospect talent, that could at least speculatively be a framework.

There’s some uncertainty regarding Clevinger’s service time at he moment, as the Indians could technically push his path to free agency back a season should he spend 20 days or more at the alternate site on his current optional assignment. That scenario, though, would require keeping Clevinger on option beyond the Aug. 31 trade deadline — he was optioned on Aug. 14 — and his representatives could well take umbrage and explore a grievance. Clevinger’s track record is excellent, with a 2.97 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 over 464 1/3 innings dating back to 2017. As it stands, he’s controllable through the 2022 season with a pair of arb raises still in the offing.

There’s no indication that Clevinger and/or Plesac are being dangled to other clubs, but given their recent demotions, it’s to be expected that other clubs will try to pry them away. Virtually every contender is in need of pitching help with injuries up throughout the league, and the idea of acquiring a player with multiple years of control remaining is far more appealing than giving up young talent simply to acquire a month’s worth of regular-season innings, which is all any club is guaranteed with a rental arm in 2020.

Indians’ Triston McKenzie To Debut Saturday

By | at

August 22: The Indians have officially promoted McKenzie to the active roster. To make a spot for the rookie, outfielder Bradley Zimmer was optioned to the team’s alternate training site.

August 20: Indians right-hander Triston McKenzie will make his major league debut Saturday with a start against the Tigers, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports. The 23-year-old McKenzie is already on the Indians’ 40-man roster, so they won’t have to boot anyone from it to make room for him.

As Hoynes notes, this will be the first competitive outing for McKenzie since June 2018, as forearm and shoulder problems stunted his development for a couple of years. Before that, he was the 42nd overall pick in 2015 and a multi-time top 100 prospect, peaking as Baseball America’s 33rd-best farmhand in 2018. While his injury issues weighed him down that year, he still logged a 2.68 ERA with 8.64 K/9 and 2.78 BB/9 over 90 2/3 innings in his first Double-A season.

Now, the hope for Cleveland is that a healthy McKenzie will become the latest success story in its staff. The Indians have been known for churning out quality starters in recent years, which hasn’t changed this season. The club’s rotation entered Thursday first in the majors in ERA and third in FIP. They’ll remain in the majors’ elite in those categories after American League Cy Young front-runner Shane Bieber turned in yet another brilliant performance in shutting out the Pirates.

Aside from Bieber, the Indians have received tremendous production from Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac (though they optioned the latter last week for a violation of coronavirus protocols). Carlos Carrasco, Adam Plutko and Mike Clevinger have prevented runs at fine clips, but Clevinger was demoted alongside Plesac.

Chris Antonetti On Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac

By | at

The Indians banished right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac to their alternate site a week ago after the two broke coronavirus protocols on the road. Clevinger and Plesac have each thrown five-inning sim games over the past couple days as they hope to work their way back, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic.

The Indians will be able to recall either or both of the beleaguered hurlers Monday, though it’s anyone’s guess if that will happen. If it does, there’s a possibility it will cause friction in Cleveland’s locker room. Back when Clevinger and Plesac were caught, some Indians reportedly considered opting out if they immediately rejoined the team, while right-hander Adam Plutko publicly expressed his displeasure with his rotation mates.

Speaking Friday regarding Clevinger and Plesac, president Chris Antonetti said (full statement here, via Meisel), “The team’s readiness to accept them back into the environment is something that we’ll consider.” At the same time, though, Antonetti noted the Indians’ focus is on “how to build the best team and how do we have the best group of guys at the major league level that give us the best chance to win and win a World Series?” He went on to express hope that Clevinger and Plesac have spent the past week “reflecting” on their mistakes and focusing on how to “earn the trust back of the team.”

Looking solely at on-field impact, it’s hard to argue the Indians aren’t a better team with Clevinger and Plesac in the mix. Clevinger has largely offered front-line production since he broke out in 2017, while Plesac – after a decent but unspectacular rookie year – dominated in three starts and 21 innings this season before the Indians demoted him. Among all pitchers who have thrown at least 20 frames, Plesac ranks first in K/BB ratio (12.00), third in BB/9 (0.86) and fourth in ERA (1.29).

Considering Shane Bieber’s status as the best pitcher in the American League and the emergence of Aaron Civale, the contending Indians may be tempted to recall Clevinger and Plesac in hopes of building a super-rotation and making a World Series run. They’re a couple days away from having that option. In the meantime, Triston McKenzie will fill out the Indians’ starting staff after Bieber, Civale, Carlos Carrasco and Plutko, who owns a 6.88 ERA for the season after the Tigers shelled him Friday.

Health Notes: Francona, Rays, Hamels, Phils, Grandal

By | at

Indians manager Terry Francona will miss their series against the Pirates to undergo surgery for gastrointestinal problems, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com relays. Bench coach Sandy Alomar is managing the team during Francona’s absence. This is the second procedure Francona has undergone in the past month to address the issue. MLBTR wishes him a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back in the Cleveland dugout as quickly as possible.

  • Injured Rays right-hander Charlie Morton came out of an “intense bullpen session” unscathed, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. It’s possible Morton will return this weekend after heading to the injured list Aug. 10 with shoulder inflammation. That continued a disappointing opening to the season for Morton, who struggled through his first four starts. Meanwhile, reliever Oliver Drake will begin a throwing program as he works back from the right biceps tendinitis that forced him to the IL on Aug. 9. However, there’s no word on a potential return date.
  • Braves manager Brian Snitker stated Tuesday that left-hander Cole Hamels is still “a little ways” from throwing off a mound, Mark Bowman of MLB.com tweets. The Braves remain hopeful Hamels will pitch this year, but time’s obviously of the essence with the regular season due to end in late September. Hamels was a headline-grabbing offseason signing for the Braves, but the triceps injury he has dealt with may stop the pending free agent from ever pitching for them.
  • Phillies center fielder Roman Quinn received clearance to come off the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer was among those to report. Quinn went to the IL this past weekend after experiencing mild symptoms, though he didn’t test positive for the virus then. His latest test came back negative, enabling him to rejoin the team.
  • The White Sox are hopeful that catcher Yasmani Grandal will return “by the end of the week,” according to manager Rick Renteria (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). Grandal exited the team’s game Monday with a stiff back.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top