“The Indians trading Mike Clevinger? It absolutely makes no sense.”
This was the headline to a piece I wrote back in December, when Cleveland’s ace inexplicably started seeing his name in trade rumors.
Admittedly, it was unclear if the Indians were actually shopping Clevinger this past winter, or if clubs were aggressively leaking their interest to the media. Either way, it didn’t make the idea itself any less absurd.
If teams were calling upon Cleveland to discuss a Clevinger trade last offseason, it’s not crazy to think it’ll happen again this coming winter. This is especially true when you consider what kind of revenue losses the typically cost-efficient Indians are about to face in the months ahead.
Does this change Cleveland’s situation? With a year of navigating unforeseen financial hurdles preceding another salary negotiation with Clevinger, would it make sense for the Tribe to explore a trade this winter?
You may think it sounds insane, but not everyone feels that way.
Casey Drottar is an Cleveland Indians writer for Sports Illustrated. Subscribe to his podcast, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook