The San Diego Padres announced on Monday that Mike Clevinger is headed for Tommy John surgery, which means he won't be on the mound in 2021. To stabilize their long-term costs, the Padres signed him to a two-year deal covering his final arbitration years. Though it was expected to be closer to $5 million, the contract is actually worth $11.5 million, per Mark Feinsand.
The San Diego Padres on Monday announced that Mike Clevinger will undergo Tommy John surgery and as a result will miss the 2021 season. The management also announced the signing of a two-year deal with Clevinger that provides the team with cost certainty through the rest of his arbitration-eligible seasons.
Clevinger’s new contract with Padres is worth $11.5 million according to Mark Feinsand which was earlier forecasted to be around $5 million.
In a formal statement, Executive VP and GM A.J. Preller confirmed that the club signed right-hander Mike Clevinger to a two-year contract extending through 2022. This new deal replaces his previous arbitration status and includes various bonuses and deferred payments. The announcement also noted that Clevinger was scheduled for Tommy John surgery on November 17th, which will keep him out of action for the duration of the 2021 MLB season.
Since joining the Padres via a nine-player trade from the Cleveland Indians on August 31st, Clevinger excelled in four starts with a 2.84 ERA (giving up 6 earned runs over 19 innings). His combined stats from both teams last year were impressive, featuring a 3.02 ERA, 40 strikeouts, and 14 walks over eight appearances. However, his season ended abruptly during the NLDS against the Dodgers on October 6th; after a perfect first inning, he was pulled in the second after being diagnosed with right posterior elbow impingement.
With Clevinger out, the Padres are now highly motivated to find a new starting pitcher on the open market. The team will likely rely on a rotation featuring Zach Davies, Dinelson Lamet, and Chris Paddack, supplemented by a new acquisition. If they can't find a suitable veteran during the offseason, the club has promising young arms like Ryan Weathers, MacKenzie Gore, and Adrian Morejon ready to step up.
Over the last three years, Clevinger has been a dominant force, maintaining a 2.91 ERA (154 ERA+) and a strikeout-to-walk ratio exceeding 3.5. According to Baseball-Reference, his contributions during this stretch have earned him over 10 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).