The San Diego Padres announced Monday that right-hander Mike Clevinger will undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday. As a result, Clevinger will miss the 2021 season. The Padres also announced they had reached an agreement with Clevinger on a two-year deal that provides the team with cost certainty through the rest of his arbitration-eligible seasons.
Clevinger's new pact is worth $11.5 million, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. MLB Trade Rumors' arbitration earnings forecast model had Clevinger down to make around $5 million in 2021. In other words, the Padres seemed to have baked in an additional raise for 2022.
Here's part of the Padres press release about Clevinger, who was acquired by San Diego from Cleveland at this year's Aug. 31 trade deadline:
The San Diego Padres have signed right-handed pitcher Mike Clevinger to a two-year contract through the 2022 season, Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller announced today. The agreement replaces Clevinger's two remaining seasons of arbitration eligibility and includes deferments and performance bonuses. Additionally, Clevinger is scheduled to undergo ulnar collateral ligament surgery ("Tommy John") on Tuesday, November 17th. He is expected to miss the entirety of the 2021 season.
The 29-year-old posted a 2.84 ERA (6 ER, 19.0 IP) in four regular season starts for the Padres in 2020 after being acquired in a nine-player trade from the Cleveland Indians on August 31st. Between San Diego and Cleveland last season, the right-hander boasted a 3.02 ERA in eight starts with 40 strikeouts against 14 walks. Clevinger was diagnosed with a right posterior elbow impingement following his final regular season start on September 23 vs. LAA, and in his sole Postseason appearance in the 2020 National League Division Series on October 6 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was removed in the second inning after pitching a hitless, scoreless first.
The Padres were already expected to be in the market for another starting pitcher. This news, obviously, makes it even more likely. As it stands, San Diego would be trotting out a rotation that includes Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies, Chris Paddack, and whichever young starter the Padres wanted to fold into the mix. The Padres, to their credit, have numerous internal options they could turn to if the offseason provides no satisfying solution. That includes MacKenzie Gore, Ryan Weathers, and Adrian Morejon.
Clevinger has, over the last three seasons, accumulated a 2.91 ERA (154 ERA+) while recording more than 3.5 strikeouts per walk. He's notched more than 10 Wins Above Replacement in that span, per Baseball-Reference's calculations.
