Mike Clevinger to make return to Cleveland rotation after breaking COVID-19 protocol

After breaking COVID-19 protocol, half of the Mike Clevinger-Zach Plesac duo is back on Cleveland’s active roster

Clevinger and Plesac were sent away after they broke the trust of their teammates on a road trip in Chicago. Both players went out in the city to celebrate a series of good starts, something the Indians have had plenty of this season. Yet, Clevinger has proven too talented to leave off the roster for long. After being annexed to the team’s alternate training site in Eastlake, Clevinger is getting another chance to do right by his teammates and manager Terry Francona, but you can bet he’ll be on a very short leash.

The right-handed pitcher will start on the bump Wednesday for Cleveland against the Minnesota Twins. It should be noted that this is a home game, so at the very least the Indians don’t have to worry about Clevinger wandering off in unfamiliar territory after his start. And while such a statement may seem absurd for a 29-year-old, Clevinger’s already proven once that he needs babysitting.

What does Clevinger add to the Cleveland rotation?

A lot, actually. Clevinger was 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA at the time of his demotion. He’s a solid middle of the rotation starter when healthy, and he’s more than just a long reliever or spot starter. For Cleveland, he’ll only add to a unit that includes Shane Bieber, Carlos Carrasco, Aaron Civale and Triston McKenzie. The list goes on when you factor in this may represent an avenue for Plesac to get invited back to the big league squad.

In the past few weeks, some pundits had theorized that Cleveland might trade one of their two rule-breakers for an impact bat. The decision to bring Clevinger back onto the MLB roster either symbolizes a second chance, or a try-out just before next week’s trade deadline.

Time will tell.