Indians option Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac after COVID-19 protocol flub

Indians option Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac after COVID-19 protocol flub

The Cleveland Indians look to be sending a message to everyone not to take the COVID-19 protocol lightly after two pitchers were punished for violating the protocol. Now those two pitchers, Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac have been optioned. If that’s not a clear message to other players, we don’t know what is.

Clevinger and Plesac were both found to have gone out on the town while in Chicago over the weekend putting the team and officials at risk for the potentially deadly virus. To make matters worse, they lied about violating protocol when questioned.

Some members of the pitching rotation had voiced their displeasure at the news.

“They hurt us bad. They lied to us. They sat here in front of you guys and publicly said things that they didn’t follow through on,” Cleveland pitcher Adam Plutko said, per Bob Nightengale.

How could this affect their contracts?

Now, just days later the two pitchers have been optioned to the alternate training site.

Apparently this was a group decision.

This option could affect their contracts, though at this time it’s unclear how much.