Plesac Making His Return to the Indians Rotation Tuesday, Taking Clevinger's Spot

The Indians had a busy Monday as the MLB Trade Deadline hit, as the team moved starter Mike Clevinger to the Padres along with Greg Allen and a player to be named later for six players. With Clevinger gone the team needed a starter for Tuesday, and the club announced Monday they will give that spot in the rotation to Zach Plesac, who along with Clevinger was sent to the team's alternate training site after they violated team rules in Chicago.

A decision in Chicago to leave the team hotel and be out after curfew could have marked the end of the career for now former Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger.

Monday the team moved Clevinger to the San Diego Padres in one of the biggest trades in Indians history.

They gave up the pitcher known as "Sunshine," along with outfielder Greg Allen and a player to be named later for six players from the Padres, three of which who are Major League ready.

Oddly enough, Clevinger wasn't the only one at fault that night in Chicago, and the player that was also involved will take Clevinger's spot in the rotation starting Tuesday evening - Zach Plesac.

The second-year Tribe starter will get called back from the team's alternate training site in Lake County.

Right now with Monday's moves the team is at 28 on the roster after the club added outfielder Josh Naylor, pitcher pitcher Cal Quantrill and catcher Austin Hedges to the big league roster.

When Plesac gets called up another move will have to happen to make room, and it seems like the most logical move would be to DFA catcher Sandy Leon, as with Hedges aboard the team doesn't need to carry three catchers.

The team also has Beau Taylor at the team's alternate site should one of the catchers on the Indians roster gets hurt.

But for now back to Plesac, who will take his best friends spot in the rotation and try like Clevinger did to redeem himself to his teammates.

This season prior to the Chicago incident Plesac was throwing well, as he's 1-1 in three starts with a very good 1.29 ERA.

In 24 innings he's allowed three runs on 12 hits with 24 strikeouts and just two walks.

He stayed on a regular throwing schedule at the team's alternate site, so coming up and throwing with the Major League club shouldn't be much of a change for him.

Like acting manager Sandy Alomar Jr. admitted last week following Clevinger's start, having Plesac in the clubhouse again may be a little odd at first, but likely his teammates will eventually welcome him back as they did eventually with Clevinger.

If Plesac doesn't pan out or it's just too much, the team can turn to Adam Plutko who struggled but now has plenty of experience as a starter.

Indians team president Chris Antonetti said Monday that dealing Clevinger and being able to turn to Plesac yet again shows the depth the organization has when it comes to starters.

“We felt that we had some options that we could turn to in our rotation that allowed us to fortify other areas of our team,” Antonetti said. 

“That’s what positioned us to do that. Without the starting pitching depth we have, we wouldn’t have been in a position to make a trade like this.”