Indians: Former Tribe pitcher Mike Clevinger needs Tommy John surgery

The decision to move on from Mike Clevinger and trade him to the Padres during the 2020 season is looking better and better in the following months.

When the Cleveland Indians traded Mike Clevinger away some in the fanbase thought the team didn’t get enough (they did) for him, and they lamented at how much was given up in store for how little was given back. The Tribe got back major league players in pitcher Cal Quantrill, outfielder Josh Naylor, and catcher Austin Hedges, along with three minor league prospects in shortstop Gabriel Arias, left-hander Joey Cantillo and shortstop Owen Miller. A pretty impressive haul, actually.

Made more impressive by the fact that Clevinger will, unfortunately, have Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. The Padres will be without him for all of the 2021 season, despite signing him to a two-year extension.

Clevinger was under Padre control until the end of the 2022 season regardless, but it was with the arbitration eligibility in place, meaning Clevinger could’ve lost a lot of money had he not taken the new deal. He was shipped to San Diego before the 2020 trade deadline and the Padres saw him as an arm that could compete for three straight postseasons.

Unfortunately for them, that hasn’t been the case, as Clevinger missed the 2020 postseason with the injury and now will miss the 2021 postseason, and that’s even if the Padres make it back in 2021. Now Clevinger will ultimately have one year, as a 31-year-old and after major surgery, to prove he can still be a high caliber pitcher in the major leagues. If he can’t bounce back in 2022, then he won’t make major money in what could be his last opportunity to.

The trade, in the light of day, looks even better for the Indians. They got two potential replacements for Francisco Lindor, a starting outfielder, a new pitcher who can go into the pen or the rotation, and a pitching prospect with great upside.

Anyone who doesn’t think the Indians got enough now are the types of people who will never be satisfied.