White Sox Solidify Pitching Rotation; Sign Ex-Padre, Guardian Mike Clevinger

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a contract with free agent Mike Clevinger, who last pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2022. Clevinger now returns to the American League Central, a division in which he found great success in as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

The Chicago White Sox have agreed to a contract with free agent right-handed pitcher Mike Clevinger, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.

Free-agent right-hander Mike Clevinger in agreement with White Sox, pending physical, source tells @TheAthletic.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 27, 2022

The terms of the contract have yet to be reported on, but the White Sox will be adding another starting pitcher to their rotation, to go with RHP Dylan Cease, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Lance Lynn and RHP Michael Kopech.

Clevinger last pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2022. The Padres acquired him along with Matt Waldron and Greg Allen in a 2020 midseason trade with the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Owen Miller, Joey Cantillo and Gabriel Arias.

Clevinger missed all of 2021 with Tommy John Surgery.

Clevinger, who turns 32 next month, experienced his worst big league season in 2022, since his rookie year, going 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 114.1 innings pitched and 22 starts.

Clevinger made his final appearance of the 2022 season in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, when he allowed three runs on three hits, one walk and a home run, before being pulled from the game in the first inning without recording a single out. It was the first time since the 1932 World Series where two pitchers failed to get out of the first inning in a postseason game.

Clevinger now returns to the American League Central, a division in which he found great success in as a member of the Cleveland Indians. From 2017 through 2019, Clevinger posted a 38-18 record and 2.96 ERA, with the Indians.

The White Sox are hoping that a change of scenery benefits Clevinger and that he can return to form in the midwest.

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