Mike Clevinger (pictured) and Zach Plesac met with Indians personnel ahead getting optioned. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Indians' Clevinger, Plesac drove to Detroit before being optioned to training site

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 8/14/20

After the Cleveland Indians placed right-handed starting pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger on the restricted list for violating MLB health and safety protocols, fellow pitcher Adam Plutko told reporters that the pair would need to earn back the trust of their teammates:

It appears that remains a work in progress.

According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, Clevinger and Plesac drove to Detroit on Thursday to meet with Indians personnel on the club's off-day ahead of a three-game series versus the Tigers.

After a meeting, the Indians agreed to option both pitchers to the club's alternate training site:

Chris Antonetti said that Clevinger and Plesac drove to Detroit last night with their baseball stuff to be ready for any decision the club made. They both had a chance to talk to their teammates and staff before it was ultimately decided it'd be best for the team to option them.
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) August 14, 2020

Plesac and Clevinger knowingly and intentionally broke safety guidelines last Saturday in Chicago when they left the team hotel for a social dinner with friends after Plesac faced the Chicago White Sox.

Plesac may have further damaged his cause via a bizarre Instagram video in which he blamed the media for depicting him and Clevinger as "bad people" and "bad teammates" and said he was "disgusted the way the media has handled this whole situation surrounding our team."

Manager Terry Francona wasn't impressed or entertained: