CLEVELAND — In a sports media landscape full of hot takes and immediate analysis, the Mike Clevinger trade on Monday to the San Diego Padres really shouldn't be subject to either.
Everyone seems eager to criticize the Indians and Padres, teams that are likely headed to the postseason and feature exciting players and highly-respected front offices.
You still want my immediate reaction to a trade that most people associated with MLB saw coming before the weekend? Fine. It makes sense. For both sides. That's the goal of any baseball trade.
And even after chewing on it a bit, it still holds up.
The Padres get a top-of-the-rotation starter they desperately need. The team led the National League heading into Monday in runs scored (205) with a powerhouse lineup, but there was still uncertainty with this suddenly surging club's starting rotation. Adding Clevinger should help answer any remaining questions for San Diego as the team continues to push to the postseason.
And yes, in case you were wondering, Clevinger’s final start for the Tribe last week was surely a showcase situation.
The first-place Cleveland Indians are focused on October baseball with an abundance of starting pitching, an offense that finally appears to be shaking off a slow start, and a bullpen that has been lights-out since the start of this shortened season.
Sure, the Indians could have used a bigger bat, but the expanded playoffs created a market of more buyers than sellers.
In a conference zoom call with the media, Indians team president Chris Antonetti made it clear he felt this trade between Cleveland and San Diego not only helps the Tribe this season, but in years to come.
Antonetti isn’t wrong.
Guys like 1B/OF Josh Naylor, C Austin Hedges and RHP Cal Quantrill can all make an immediate for the Tribe with 26 games to play. They have been added to the 28-man roster. Meanwhile, infielder Gabriel Arias and LHP Joey Cantillo were ranked as the seventh and ninth-best prospects in the Padres organization respectively.
Do I believe Antonetti when he maintains Clevinger violating team protocols on a trip to Chicago had nothing to do with the trade?
Ehhh…I’ll barely let it slide.
Clevinger’s actions certainly did not go over well in the clubhouse and while team chemistry won’t show up in any box score this final month of the regular season, personal responsibility is vital in a pandemic-impacted season like this.
Sometimes players can use a change of scenery and Clevinger will get one. The pitcher, affectionately nicknamed “Sunshine,” will get plenty of it out on the West Coast.
The Indians' front office has earned our collective trust. Under its watch, we’ve seen blockbuster deadline deals and quiet standstills. Both approaches have worked. Since Terry Francona took over as team manager in 2013, the Indians have racked up the most wins combined in the American League, won multiple Central Division titles, and were oh-so-close to winning that 2016 World Series against the Cubs.
Even if Clevinger happened to be a fan favorite, he and the fans must keep in mind the words of Michael Corleone from The Godfather: “it’s not personal…it’s strictly business.”
The Indians and Padres made a businesslike trade on Monday helping both clubs heading into the final stretch of an unprecedented season. Nothing more, nothing less.