*Photo from Friar Wire*
Well, hello there, starting rotation upgrade. The Chicago White Sox and RHP Mike Clevinger are in agreement on a one year contract, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Jim Bowden of the Athletic reports the deal is for $12 million. The White Sox have confirmed the signing.
Clevinger is coming off a shaky 2022 season after returning from Tommy John Surgery, the second time he underwent the procedure. His velocity dipped and he posted career worst numbers in strikeouts per nine with 7.2 and home runs per nine with 1.6 in a San Diego Padres uniform. He's no stranger to the White Sox after pitching against them for 4 1/2 years with the then Cleveland Indians.
Last season was a subpar one for Clevinger, his first full season in San Diego after missing most of 2020 and all of 2021. Clevinger posted a 4.33 ERA, 4.97 FIP, and 1.20 WHIP, making 22 starts and one relief appearance, totaling 114 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed 8 runs in 2 2/3 innings in the playoffs.
Clevinger has 6 big league seasons under his belt with Cleveland and San Diego. Over that time, he has 694 strikeouts to go with a 3.39 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 3.78 FIP, tossing 656 2/3 innings in 114 starts and 14 relief appearances. Clevinger has a 7.47 ERA in 15 2/3 innings in the playoffs, making 4 starts and 6 relief appearances.
The White Sox made an offer at the 2020 trade deadline to acquire Clevinger, who ultimately was shipped to the Padres. It might have been for the best, as he suffered elbow impingement late that season and underwent Tommy John Surgery after the season ended, which kept him out for 2021.
Even then, Clevinger still couldn't shake the injury bug. His return was delayed when he went on the IL with a right knee sprain before opening day and returned to the IL in May with a right triceps strain. In his career, Clevinger has met the 30 start threshold just once, when he made 32 starts with Cleveland in 2018.
Nonetheless, Clevinger is a piece who figures to help the back end of the White Sox rotation, a unit that looks formidable entering 2023. Clevinger joins Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, and Michael Kopech in the rotation, with Davis Martin in the bullpen, who also has experience starting.
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