It was just back in November that veteran pitcher Mike Clevinger signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. Said deal included a mutual option of $12 million in 2024.
At this point, it’s unsure if Clevinger will even be a member of the White Sox to play out this contract once Spring Training opens.
According to Brittany Ghiroli and Katie Strang of The Athletic, Clevinger is under investigation by MLB following allegations of domestic violence being levied in his direction.
According to the report, Olivia Finestead, the 24-year-old mother of Clevinger’s child, has been in contact with individuals from the MLB Department of Investigation dating back to last summer. Her allegations against Clevinger are damning.
“According to Finestead, she has detailed to those investigators incidents of physical, verbal and emotional abuse, including an incident from last June in which Finestead said Clevinger choked her, and another about two weeks later when she said Clevinger slapped her in a hotel room when the team was playing the Dodgers and threw used chewing tobacco on their child.”
Allegations against Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger
A source close to MLB told The Athletic that there is an open investigation into Clevinger. Meanwhile, Chicago did not find out about the allegations until after it signed him this past November.
At the time of the alleged incidents, Clevinger was a member of the San Diego Padres. He was finishing up his first full season in Southern California.
- Mike Clevinger career stats: 51-30 record, 3.39 ERA, 1.19 WHIP
A fourth-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels back in 2011, Clevinger was traded to Cleveland a few years later. He performed well with the then-Indians before being sent to San Diego during the 2020 season.
As for the allegations, Clevinger’s current team responded with a company-line statement.
“Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox take any and all allegations very seriously, and the White Sox are completely supportive of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy shared by MLB and the MLBPA.
MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations. The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”
White Sox statement regarding Mike Clevinger investigation