White Sox Dodge A Bullet: Clevinger Avoids Discipline From MLB
The White Sox dodged a bullet. Major League Baseball will not suspend Mike Clevinger for the domestic abuse allegations levied upon him.
From a baseball perspective, the White Sox couldn’t afford to lose their only free-agent addition to the starting rotation. Even after coming down a down year that provided more questions than answers, Clevinger is still a better option on the mound than anything the White Sox had in-house. From a public-relations standpoint, the organization could not afford any more negative press that a suspended Clevinger would bring, especially from a fanbase that is already pissed. That doesn’t mean Clevinger will not be a polarizing figure this year.
When Mike Clevinger arrived in Glendale, he became the center of attention. With horrific allegations hanging over his head, it was hard to focus on baseball. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn had to try and deflect questions about the organization’s background check process, and manager Pedro Grifol attempted to downplay the situation.
However, it was impossible to escape the elephant in the room. Are the allegations true, and would Clevinger pitch a game in a White Sox uniform? To Clevinger’s credit, he tried to get out in front of the situation as swiftly as possible. He quickly apologized to all his teammates for creating a distraction and vehemently denied wrongdoing.
“I’m just asking everyone to wait before they rush to judgment, Clevinger told reporters.” Wait until the actual facts are out there. Wait until there’s actual evidence and then make a decision on me.”
He then took it a step further by threatening to sue 670 The Score for airing an interview with the alleged victim, Oliva Finestead, where she blasted his character for the duration of the interview.
“It’s the world we’re living in,” Clevinger told the Chicago Sun-Times in response. “Everyone wants the clicks. It doesn’t matter what the real truth is.”
“But that was really trashy of them,” Clevinger added. “That was some lowlife material right there.”
Upon the conclusion of the investigation Major League Baseball issued the following statement:
“The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has completed its investigation into the allegations against Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger. The comprehensive investigation included interviews of more than 15 individuals, in addition to Mr. Clevinger and the complainant, as well as a review of available documents, such as thousands of electronic communication records. The Office of the Commissioner has closed this investigation, and, barring the receipt of any new information or evidence, the Office of the Commissioner will not be imposing discipline on Mr. Clevinger in connection with these allegations.
“As part of his path forward, Mr. Clevinger has voluntarily agreed to submit evaluations by the joint treatment boards under the collectively bargained policies and to comply with any boards’ recommendations. MLB will continue to make support services available to Mr. Clevinger, his family, and other individuals involved in the investigation.”
The White Sox response was predictably short, saying they respect the MLB’s decision and refuse to comment further on the matter.
A vindicated Clevinger released this statement:
“I am pleased that Major League Baseball has concluded its investigation. I had nothing to hide and cooperated fully with MLB. This situation has been stressful for my family, and I thank their strength and support. I asked everyone not to rush to judgment until MLB’s investigation was concluded, and I appreciate everyone who had faith in me, including the White Sox organization and my teammates. I am looking forward to the 2023 season and helping the White Sox win a championship this year.”
Clevinger has said all the right things. The MLB investigation dates back to last season. Judging by the statement they released, it was throughout. Everyone deserves their proverbial “day in court,” and the knee-jerk reaction was understandably quick to cast Clevinger as the villain. The White Sox don’t have the best track record when it comes to hiring, and there was plenty of smoke surrounding the allegations.
However, the shock waves that the allegations caused could linger above the team for a while. It will be interesting to see how Clevinger is received by the fanbase as the season progresses. The truth is if he pitches well, the entire ordeal will be forgotten a whole lot quicker.