Padres' Mike Clevinger to have Tommy John surgery, miss 2021 season

The San Diego Padres mixed some positive news with bad news on Monday. 

San Diego has confirmed that ace right-handed starter Mike Clevinger is likely to miss the entire 2021 season after he undergoes Tommy John surgery on Tuesday. That setback did not, however, prevent the Padres from signing the 29-year-old to a two-year contract that will link him with the club through the 2022 campaign. 

Clevinger began the season with the Cleveland Indians but landed in hot water with that organization after he and fellow pitcher Zach Plesac went out for a social dinner in Chicago on Aug. 8, a violation of health and safety protocols for the campaign held amid the coronavirus pandemic. Both were temporarily demoted to Cleveland's alternate training site, and the Indians sent Clevinger to San Diego ahead of the Aug. 31 trade deadline. 

Clevinger made three appearances for the Padres before he suffered an injury to his throwing arm (a right posterior elbow impingement) after a single inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 23. He then completed only one inning in a playoff start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 6. 

Clevinger finished with a 2-1 record with a 2.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings over his four regular-season starts for the Padres.