Padres’ interest in Clevinger is justified
Credit: USA Today Sports
Reports indicate that the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians are discussing a trade for Mike Clevinger. The right-handed pitcher has emerged in the last few seasons and could be on the verge of breaking out, making him very appealing to the Padres.
The San Diego Padres would love to add an “ace” to their young rotation.
A.J. Preller and the Padres missed out on Cole Hamels, Zack Wheeler, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg, and Gerrit Cole this winter. All were free-agents and available for the right price. The Padres’ only option now is to acquire a pitcher who possibly fits that mold via a trade. There are not very many teams willing to move pitching at this point, so the Padres will need to be creative in the coming weeks.
Recent reports indicate that the Padres and Indians are discussing Mike Clevinger as a possible fit for the Padres’ rotation. It is not known what it would take for the Friars to acquire the blossoming right-handed pitcher. He produced career bests in ERA (2.71), FIP (2.49), WAR (4.5), strikeouts per nine innings (12.07), and walks per nine innings (2.64) last year for Cleveland. The cost will be hefty, but the Padres have the prospects and major league players that could entice the Indians. There is a strong feeling that this deal could get done eventually by the two teams.
A.J. Preller is very aggressive as he should be right now. The Padres have a young core of players who are possibly on the verge of something special. Clevinger would be a great addition as he is a pitcher who seems likely to continue his growth. Preller is also at a point in his career where he needs to start producing and showing results. “Heads will roll,” Ron Fowler admitted if the Padres do not soon find success.
Acquiring Clevinger could go a long way for the Padres. The funky-motioned right-handed pitcher is getting phenomenal velocity on his four-seam fastball. The pitch is quickly becoming one of the best weapons in the game. The average speed on Clevinger’s fastball grew from 92.5 mph in 2017 to an impressive 95.4 mph this past year, according to baseball savant. Batters recorded a .192 average off the pitch in 2019 compared to .263 rate in 2018. The lanky pitcher is getting more and more swings and misses on the pitch as well as his whiff rate was up to 30% this year from 20.4% in 2018.
In the past, Clevinger’s slider has been his dominant out-pitch. He gets an incredible break on the pitch as it moves an average of 17 inches away from right-handed hitters. The slider also gets 44 inches of drop on average on the ball, according to baseball savant. The league average is 6 inches and 36 inches of drop to put his numbers into context. He changes speeds effectively on the pitch as well, which is also very impressive. Clevinger’s third pitch is a changeup that gets decent sink and tail to it. He has the arsenal to go through a lineup three times and pitch effectively. He has “ace-like” tendencies.
Take a look at this video of him in action striking out 12 batters last summer.
Mike Clevinger is legally required to change his last name to Klevinger after last night’s performance.
We don’t make the rules.#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/FV71FtiY0R
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 18, 2019
The Padres are surely interested in this pitcher as he is getting better with age. Clevinger is 29. He is not a young prospect. The former 4th-round pick of the Angels in 2011 blew out his arm in 2012 and underwent Tommy John surgery. The Angels traded him to Cleveland for Vinnie Pestano, and Clevinger took off from there in the Indians’ system. He has been through the wringer and is hungry for success.
Clevinger owns a career 41-21 record in his four years of service time in the majors. He’s recorded a 3.20 ERA, and a 1.188 WHIP in just over 500 innings pitched. The pitcher struck out 563 batters in that time but has struggled with control, issuing 193 free passes. If Clevinger throws strikes, he is nearly impossible to hit. Repeating his motion can be difficult, but he has improved of late.
The Padres and Indians are speaking about another possible trade. Rumor has it that the two sides could pick up negotiations on Monday. The Holiday season is near, and the Padres would be ecstatic to land an ace pitcher in their stocking. The price will be steep, though. But when you are building towards success, sometimes you need to take risks. If the Padres open up the pocketbooks and allow some more prized prospects to be traded, a trade could come together rather quickly.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Don’t give gore or patino for anyone, I’d say trammel, Lucchesi, Naylor, and either baez/morejon. That should be quite the haul for Clevinger. If they add in Lindor then you throw in patino with the above package.
Clevinger is what we need. Affordable price for 3 seasons. He would be the ace of the staff. Give up anyone but Gore and they got a deal. Get it done AJ.
Clevinger would be a good get, no question. He’s 29, signed thru 2022 and currently on a favorable contract. But I wouldn’t give up Lamet for him. Lamet is way too much talent to be part of any deal that’s going to include one or more of our top ranked prospects, which I’m sure Cleveland will want.
Prefer going either Quantrill or Lucchesi, both major leaguers, Patino and one prospect 15-30, with Patino being the centerpiece. I’d hope they take Lucchesi because Quantrill could develop into a real stud!
Clevinger would give us a strong starting pitching group, along with Lamet, Paddack, Garret Richards (If he’s ready) and Davies,. So we’d need a lefty, (Lucchesi if Quantrill is taken) or two, maybe Morejon or Margevicus .
I’d keep Gore at AA to start the year and give him more time to develop his game and to better control his innings. He’d be a great competitive motivator. Plus, from a pure business standpoint, we’d also be able to control his major league service time.
I would love to land this guy and can see him be a dominant number one for the staff. Am wondering thou if Lament will have to be part of the deal going back. Otherwise (everyone healthy) who of the current guys are left out? Clevinger, Paddack, Richards, Lament; Davies, Lucchesi with Gore coming up midsummer. If Patiño is part of the deal then no way do we sent Lament but I could see Cleveland wanting a guy ready now and I see Lame t having the same trajectory as Clevinger
Thoughts?
Clevinger is good, but they are selling high on him, and pretty much anyone traded for him would be selling low on them (as they did with Urias, etc). Speaking of that, you are correct in that Lamet is similar, and least in potential trajectory.
Provided AJ does overpay, he’d be a very good addition. Gore and Patino are likely front end can’t miss guys. Moving one of them but not both is likely needed. I do not trade Gore though. Trammel is not a given so yes, include him if need be. I would include a Quantril if need be two. Two pitchers and a high level prospect for him. Do not overpay AJ!
HA! You just came up with a perfect nickname, “Overpay AJ”!
So Trammel #2, Patino #4 and Quantrill for 3yrs of a guy 7 years removed from TJS and you don’t want to overpay. Luis Patino can be Mike Clevinger in 12 to 14 months with 6 yrs of control. Dinelsons first ML season was better that Mike’s at 2yrs younger. Even after TJS ,Dinelson’s short bit in 2019 showed better than his 2017 season. They have a second chance at getting Mike Clevinger with 1 more yr of control plus they would have the three players you want to give up for maybe one solid run into the post season. Outside of 2018 when Clevinger hit 200 inn, his other three seasons have averaged 125 inn in less than 25 starts.
If they knew what they had at 2B,C, CF, RF and Richards/ Lamet didn’t have restrictions you could make an argument Clevinger would be the final piece. However right now it would be at least one year too early at an incredible expense when waiting 12 to 15 months might open up a 3 to 5 yr window with Gore, Lamet, Paddack, Patino with Trammel to replace Pham.
We’d Probably have to give up Patino In a deal for Clevinger. It would be worth it though given Clevinger is proven, on the young side and still cost controlled. If we can maintain Gore, Abraham’s, and Camp, let’s pull the trigger. Trammel is expendable if necessary too.
This is the only player that’s been discussed that I’d be willing to give up Patino for. I haven’t seen anyone else listed I would make that deal for and honestly it’s a fair enough of a trade. To get him and add it to Paddack, soon to be Gore, Lamet and Richards – NOW you can legit compete with the Dodgers in pitching.
Really I think with Clevinger, SD would be stronger than LA in pitching. Buehler is a beast, but after him you have an aged Kershaw, Ryu is gone, Maeda is inconsistent and May is still an unproven prospect. SD’s pen looks stronger now too. Still trailing in overall hitting, so another bat would be great!
Spot on, adding Clevinger to our Rotation would make our Pitching, if you include our Pen, better than the Dodgers. If Myers has a bounce back year, and the Grisham/Margot Platoon works in CF, our Outfield would be much improved and our infield is pretty good already. Patino, Quantrill and Ona for Clevinger?