Rival teams think Padres are leading the race for Mike Clevinger

Mike Clevinger’s tumultuous season in Cleveland could be over

Clevinger and Zach Plesac were banished off of the 40-man roster after they broke COVID-19 quarantine rules, though the latter was recently allowed back into the clubhouse to make a spot start. Cleveland reportedly set a high price tag for Clevinger despite his wrongdoing, as his arsenal of pitches and prowess on the mound makes him on of the more attractive trade targets this season.

Clevinger has yet to make an All-Star team, but in his last two seasons he’s registered records of 13-4 and 13-8, with ERAs hovering around 3. He’d be a valuable addition to a Padres rotation featuring some young righties in Chris Paddack and Dinelson Lamet.

What would Mike Clevinger bring to the Padres rotation, and why would Cleveland trade him?

Clevinger is on the outs with his Indians teammates, but his value is still high enough that Cleveland can acquire legitimate prospect capital or MLB-ready talent for him. Trading him would be a rare win-win for an Indians team sitting in first place in the AL Central looking to rid its clubhouse of any inner turmoil.

The Padres rotation with Paddock, Lamet, Zach Davies and Clevinger would be playoff-ready, and regardless of what it costs AJ Preller, San Diego has avoided giving up any major prospects thus far. Should San Diego land Clevinger, it would land a substantial blow to fellow contenders Chicago (White Sox) and Atlanta, both of whom were in play for his services.

A trade is not final, and any competitive team could easily jump in and sweep the Indians off their feet, but for now San Diego appears to have the edge. With Preller willing to do whatever it takes to add to the Padres roster before Monday at 4 p.m. ET, they’ll be tough to beat.