Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

May 2, 2022 4:21 pm

Padres’ Mike Clevinger back in Cleveland for season debut

Emotions will likely be running high when the San Diego Padres visit the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

Former Cleveland right-hander Mike Clevinger is expected to be activated from the injured list and make his first start for San Diego since Sept. 23, 2020. He was traded by Cleveland on Aug. 31, 2020, for six players, four of whom are in Cleveland’s starting lineup. He missed all of the 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery.

“I’ve had that one marked on my calendar since before the season,” Clevinger said.

He will oppose his best friend when he was with Cleveland, right-hander Zach Plesac (1-2, 3.80 ERA).

The Clevinger trade seemed to help both teams. The Guardians acquired Wednesday’s scheduled starter Cal Quantrill, catcher Austin Hedges, infielder Owen Miller and first baseman/outfielder Josh Naylor in the trade, as well as top prospect Gabriel Arias, who is at Triple-A Columbus.

Clevinger, 31, helped pitch the Padres into the 2020 National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers before his elbow injury.

A knee injury in spring training landed him on the injured list. He’s 44-23 with a 3.19 ERA in 105 career appearances (92 starts).

Clevinger made three rehab starts in recent weeks on two minor league levels, striking out 15 in 8 2/3 innings with a 2.08 ERA.

“I’m commanding all five pitches pretty well,” Clevinger said, according to MLB.com. “So, I feel like I’m ready to take that next step.”

Neither Clevinger nor Plesac has ever faced the other team.

The Padres, second in the NL West behind the Dodgers, come into the series with the top two batters in the majors — first baseman Eric Hosmer (.382) and third baseman Manny Machado (.375).

Hosmer recently hit three home runs in a five-game span for San Diego, which has won five of its last six games. Machado had four homers and 15 RBIs in April.

Padres leadoff hitter Trent Grisham recorded his first three-hit game of the season in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

“It just feels good you get to contribute,” said Grisham, now batting .182.

Padres manager Bob Melvin is happy his hitters are starting to get hot.

“It’s important for us to get some contributions all over the board and Grisham is now swinging the bat better at the top,” he said. “You can’t rely on three, four, five guys all the time.”

The Guardians snapped a seven-game losing streak by sweeping the Oakland A’s in a three-game weekend series. Sunday’s 7-3 win gave Cleveland its first series sweep in Oakland since 2000.

The Guardians have been hitting the ball, something that pundits questioned coming into the season. They come into the San Diego series with five regulars batting over .300, including Miller (.377), Andres Gimenez (.346), Jose Ramirez (.341), Steven Kwan (.340) and Naylor (.313).

“The game is fluid,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “We’ve been very streaky. Hopefully, we’re in the midst of changing that.”

Cleveland left-hander Logan Allen and first baseman Bobby Bradley were designated for assignment after Sunday’s game. The Guardians also activated right-hander Anthony Castro from the COVID injured list and optioned him to Columbus. The Padres optioned right-hander Pedro Avila and catcher Luis Campusano to Triple-A El Paso.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

pete alonso
Jul 6, 2025 11:40 pm

Two-time champ Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber decline HR Derby invites

Two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets said Sunday that he will not be participating in the Home Run Derby this year in Atlanta. Alonso won the popular…

suzuki cubs
Jul 6, 2025 10:30 pm

Cubs’ bats, pitching on point in shutout of Cardinals

Matthew Boyd celebrated his All-Star Game selection by striking out nine batters in five innings as Chicago Cubs demolished the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 11-0 Sunday night. Fellow All-Star selection…

Yu Darvish
Jul 6, 2025 9:20 pm

Padres RHP Yu Darvish (elbow) to make season debut on Monday

Padres right-hander Yu Darvish will make his season debut when San Diego hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night. The five-time All-Star has been sidelined all season due to elbow…

More Baseball News

pete alonso
Jul 6, 2025 11:40 pm

Two-time champ Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber decline HR Derby invites

Two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets said Sunday that he will not be participating in the Home Run Derby this year in Atlanta. Alonso won the popular…

suzuki cubs
Jul 6, 2025 10:30 pm

Cubs’ bats, pitching on point in shutout of Cardinals

Yu Darvish
Jul 6, 2025 9:20 pm

Padres RHP Yu Darvish (elbow) to make season debut on Monday

nationals dave martinez
Jul 6, 2025 7:17 pm

Nationals fire manager Dave Martinez, GM Mike Rizzo

altuve
Jul 6, 2025 7:09 pm

Astros sweep Dodgers behind big game from Jose Altuve

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds
[gs-fb-comments]