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Coming into the 2016 season, the assumption was that Mike Clevinger – one of the top pitching prospects for the Cleveland Indians – wasn’t far from making his MLB debut. Despite the fact that the Tribe boasted one of the league’s top rotations, Clevinger had been performing well in the team’s farm system. A midseason injury or double-header likely would’ve opened the door for his first start with Cleveland.
May 18 might have been earlier than people would’ve predicted when it came to Clevinger’s Indians debut. However, an injury to Carlos Carrasco and the struggles of Cody Anderson forced the front office’s hand. Clevinger was called up for a game against the Cincinnati Reds and has since logged two additional starts for the team.
After three games played, it’s clear Clevinger needs a little more seasoning. He’s had his moments here and there, but unfortunately he just doesn’t look ready to be a full-time starter for Cleveland yet.
Things definitely got off to a promising start during his debut against the Reds, as Clevinger only gave up one run across his first four innings. However, a shaky fifth inning was a sign of things to come for the rookie pitcher. He ended the game with four earned runs, and though the Tribe ended up pulling off a victory, Clevinger’s issues carried over into his next two starts.
Earlier this week, Clevinger had a performance to forget against the Chicago White Sox, giving up seven hits and six earned runs in five innings. Yesterday, in what appeared to be his one last look before his fate was decided, he struggled again. In just four innings of work against the Baltimore Orioles, Clevinger gave up four earned runs.
Though he claims he belongs in the big leagues, it’s clear this isn’t the case just yet. Clevinger has shown signs of potential, sure, but he’s yet to truly have a strong enough start to convince Cleveland’s front office to open up a permanent roster spot for him.
The main issue Clevinger continues to run into is with his control. The 274 pitches he’s thrown across three starts would be normal, provided he played deep into each game. However, the farthest he was able to get was 5.1 innings. The lack of control was most apparent yesterday, when he threw 89 pitches in just four innings of work.
If Clevinger wants to stick around in Cleveland, he’s going to need to put some serious work into being more efficient. He can’t afford to be approaching 100 pitches before the midway point of his starts, as it will only put more strain on the Indians’ bullpen.
The bright side to all of this was it didn’t appear as though he was called up too early. While he had his struggles, he wasn’t shelled across three starts. The problems he endured are all fixable, and the experience he gained will no doubt help him in the long run.
Making things easier for the Tribe is the fact Carrasco is expected to return in the next couple weeks. Obviously, Clevinger is low-man on the totem pole, so he likely would’ve been getting sent back down regardless of how he performed. However, since he does still have kinks to work out, it makes the team’s decision to demote him even easier.
It’s tough to believe Clevinger has made his last appearance for the Indians this year. If another injury comes up, he’ll likely get first dibs on getting called up for an emergency start. Still, the hope is he’s learned what needs to be fixed in his game during his short stint in Cleveland. He’ll be a member of the team’s rotation soon enough, but he’s not up to the task just yet.
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