Friday Five: Trades for the Cleveland Indians to move Mike Clevinger

After turmoil in the locker room and a rough start to the 2020 season, could the Cleveland Indians look to move starting pitcher Mike Clevinger? If so, what could they get for him?

Entering the season, the Cleveland Indians starting rotation was looked at as one of the best, and youngest, starting fives in baseball. Shane Beiber highlighted the group as the next in a line of Cleveland aces.

From the same draft class were the emerging stars of Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac, while Carlos Carrasco was the inspirational comeback story of a veteran. The final piece stuck in the middle of the hype was a little Sunshine, Mike Clevinger.

After a fiery start from the entire rotation in Cleveland, adversity struck in the way of a Chicago party. What ensued for Plesac and Clevinger has essentially derailed their seasons, but the Indians’ have managed to chug along just fine.

Cleveland added Adam Plutko to the rotation, to the rotation, a player that has consistently been a fill-in for the Indians’ when needed. Working with a four-man rotation, it doesn’t seem like the Indians’ starting pitching has even missed a beat, not to mention the plethora of young talent on the mound in the Cleveland farm system that can step up.

So with Cleveland currently sitting at the bottom of the league in some offensive categories, could the Tribe look to move starting pitcher Mike Clevinger for a bat in the lineup or other pieces? The team has proven they can compete without him and given his injury history paired with a slow start to the season and now this off the field concern, the writing could be on the wall.

Teams across baseball are always looking to add more starting pitching, and with Clevinger being just 29 years-old he might warrant significant return for Cleveland.

When Civale and Plesac emerged last year the Indians moved Trevor Bauer for much needed offensive help. Odds are, that could happen again, but who is looking and what can the Cleveland Indians get in return?