7 former Cleveland Guardians who are still free agents

4. Mike Clevinger - Starting PItcher

Not that long ago, Mike Clevinger looked like the latest triumph of Clevealnd's pitching development factory. From 2017-2019, Clevinger posted a 2.96 ERA, 1.153 ERA, and 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and was one of several starters in Cleveland's rotation that could have been a number one for just about any other team. The only problem? It wouldn't last.

Injuries and a steep decline in effectiveness have been the story for Clevinger since being traded out of Cleveland during the 2020 season. Clevinger has only appeared in 55 games following the trade, almost an even split between the San Diego Padres (27) and Chicago White Sox (28). His time with both clubs were nothing spectacular, finishing with ERA's over 4.00 and averaging fewer than eight strikeouts per nine innings.

Clevinger may be able to find work this offseason but do not be surprised if it takes longer than he would like. It would be different if it were just injuries or a drop in performance level, but the combination of both is hard to overcome and may prevent him from actually signing with a team in a timely manner or with a team that has a chance of being relevant in 2025.