The Latest on the Potential Mike Clevinger Trade; What Teams are the Front Runners?

The Indians and the rest of Major League Baseball are counting down the moments of what could be a crazy and chaotic MLB trade deadline Monday. The Indians seem determined to deal pitcher Mike Clevinger by the 4pm deadline, and there's a couple teams in the mix that want to grab this services, but what they are willing to give up is another story.

The MLB trade deadline is just hours away, and it seems more evident than ever that the Indians are going to deal pitcher Mike Clevinger to the highest bidder.

MLB Insiders are earning their salaries today doing their due diligence checking around trying to get the inside scoop on where "Sunshine" will end up.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports this morning that the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are the four front runners for Clevinger. 

Two teams who have been involved in the Mike Clevinger sweepstakes say they're now out, but when pressed, say they simply won't raise their last offer. The leading candidates to land him: #Padres, #WhiteSox, #BlueJays, #Yankees.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 31, 2020

There was also a report Sunday by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com that there was a "mystery team" in the mix, but it's undetermined if that team is still involved in some way for Clevinger's services. 

John Heyman of MLB Network says the Jays are pretty much out of the running for Clevinger, so it's down to the White Sox, Padres and Braves.

Jays don’t seem to be heavily involved on Clevinger at this point, narrowing the field. Padres, Braves, maybe White Sox among teams thought in. Hard to see Clevinger staying at this point.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 31, 2020

It's just hard to believe that the Indians are going to deal Clevinger to a division rival in Chicago, as not only would they be making a team in the three team race for the AL Central stronger, but they would have to see him plenty of times for the next two years before he becomes a free agent.