Mike Clevinger seeks a comeback with the Pittsburgh Pirates, battling for a rotation spot.
Mike Clevinger’s nickname is ‘Sunshine,’ and you don’t need to be around the veteran right-hander long to understand why.
Even though he is 35 and spent almost all last season in the minor leagues, the cheerful Clevinger still wants to continue playing. He signed a minor-league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this month and is in major-league spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla., competing for the fifth starter’s job.
Clevinger’s bid for the job won’t be easy. The competition includes Jose Urquidy, Carmen Mlodzinski, and rookie left-hander Hunter Barco.
However, Clevinger looked very good in his only Grapefruit League appearance of spring training so far. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves.
Still, Clevinger could likely begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis if he doesn’t make the team out of spring training and clears waivers. Clevinger is OK with that after making 22 starts last season with Charlotte, the Chicago White Sox’s top farm club.
“I love playing the game, so whether it's in Triple-A, big leagues, Mexico, backyard -- I'll pick up a ball and play,” Clevinger told Pirates Roundtable.
That is a refreshing attitude from someone who has a good career in the major leagues, though it has been frequently marred by injury. Clevinger has a 60-44 record with a 3.55 ERA in 164 games (142 starts) with Cleveland (2016-20), the San Diego Padres (2020-22), and the White Sox (2023-25).
Clevinger has also pitched in five postseasons in his nine-year career, including making three relief appearances for Cleveland in its seven-game loss to the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series.
While the idea of winning with the Pirates may seem odd, it is one of the reasons Clevinger signed with Pittsburgh. The Pirates have had just four winning seasons in the last 33 years, yet Clevinger believes the franchise is on the right track with 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, a young pitching staff, and a remade lineup.
“It just feels like an exciting opportunity here,” Clevinger said. “What they're building here, I think, maybe some people might be sleeping on it. This has also been a really, really fun environment to be in. I like the vibe.”
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