Yankees Rumors: NYY clearly among teams in pursuit of Mike Clevinger

Adam Weinrib

Mike Clevinger #52 of the Cleveland Indians pitches against the Minnesota Twins on July 31, 2020 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

The latest Yankees rumors indicate they’re hot after Mike Clevinger.

The Yankees rumors are heating up, and the Mike Clevinger hype is real.

But if the Yanks really want to dip into that controllable end of the pool, it’ll cost ’em.

According to multiple MLB insiders — namely the tag team of Robert Murray and Jon Heyman — the Yankees are among the teams who may be thinking bigger this time around, attempting to take advantage of Cleveland’s precarious situation in a longer-term move for Mike Clevinger.

The Padres are nipping at New York’s heels (of course), and both teams appear to be serious bidders for an arm who’s a bit less risky with the threat of a pandemic shutdown looming. After all, Clevinger’s controlled through 2022.

Yankees, Padres among teams that have talked to Indians about Mike Clevinger, according to sources. The initial asking price was believed to be four quality prospects.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) August 30, 2020

“Four quality prospects” is an awful lot for someone who may not be a culture fit in New York (based on both grooming and behavior), but Clevinger is a high-upside arm who’s young and has already routinely delivered at the MLB level (when healthy). He’s more of a known commodity than fellow troublemaker Zach Plesac, but is also more of a centerpiece of the current Tribe rotation.

In other words, he’s not going to be exiled. You’ll have to earn a Clevinger deal.

There’s an increasing belief among teams Mike Clevinger has a good chance to be dealt. Indians have 6 very good or better starters, all on cost-efficient deals. Price is appropriately high. Braves, Padres, Yankees, Dodgers among many who’ve been in contact.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 30, 2020

We’ve thrown cold water on a Clevinger trade in the past, and have rebuffed the media’s efforts to get Francisco Lindor thrown into a blockbuster version of the same trade.

The latest reports, however, include a Lindor deal likely waiting until the winter. And why wouldn’t it?! The Indians are locked into an AL Central battle, and are among the betting favorites to come out of the American League. They’re going to run it back with Lindor one last time.

Clevinger, though? If you can get a haul for him with an overflowing rotation waiting in the wings, you absolutely press that button if you’re the tribe.

Apparently, the Yankees must be watched in this chase. Too many people have brought it up for us to believe otherwise.

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Adam Weinrib

Adam Weinrib is a Content Director on the FanSided network, and has been the co-editor at Yanks Go Yard for 6 years. He also co-hosts The Baseball Insiders Podcast thrice weekly, alongside FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray, as well as the Yanks Go Yard Podcast. Previously, he was a Senior Editor at 12up.com, and has been covering MLB and NFL for 10 years. He was also a headline and features contributor at ClickHole and Onion Sports, as well as the Associate Producer of the ESPN 30 for 30 film "Believeland". An avowed fan of the New York sports teams -- specifically the Yankees -- as well as the North Carolina Tar Heels, you can find Adam complaining mid-game on Twitter, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn if the game goes really poorly.