following multiple seasons of starter Michael Kopech struggling to prove himself in the major leagues, the Chicago White Sox officially moved the 28-year-old to the bullpen on March 14. Just a day earlier, ace Dylan Cease was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitchers Steven Wilson, Drew Thorpe, and Jairo Iriarte, and outfielder Samuel Zavala. With Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito both having been traded at last season’s deadline and Mike Clevinger entering free agency at the end of 2023, it seems the White Sox will go into 2024 without a single starter from last year’s Opening Day in their rotation.
But with just ten days until the start of the season on March 28, a reunion may actually be on the horizon.
On March 14, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported the White Sox were “internally discussing” resigning Clevinger, who joined the team before the 2023 season and went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 24 starts. Four days later on March 18, Nightengale quoted Clevinger’s agent Seth Levinson as stating Clevinger was only seeking a one-year deal for 2024, setting the 33-year-old apart from other free agent starters like Jordan Montgomery.
Clevinger’s Contract Value is Substantially More Affordable Than Free Agent Montgomery
Stats throughout their careers prove Montgomery to be a far stronger and more reliable starter than Clevinger, but Clevinger’s openness to a one-year, low-to-mid range deal makes him a far more budget-friendly option. For the White Sox, who are deep in a rebuild and not currently interested in spending on a big name, Clevinger is a much clearer fit.
At the start of the offseason, The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected Clevinger would land a two-year, $22 million deal out of free agency, and similarly, MLB Trade Rumors’ Tim Dierkes, Anthony Franco, and Steve Adams predicted he’d secure a two-year, $26 million contract. While there’s no indication of Clevinger’s exact asking price, the above predictions put his AAV in the range of $11-13 million.
