Mike Clevinger's White Sox Career Is Officially Over

Mike Clevinger has been designated for assignment by the White Sox, per a team announcement. The team selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Steven Wilson from Triple-A Charlotte to replace Clevinger on the active roster. The 40-man roster remains at 40.

Clevinger, 34, has had multiple stints with the White Sox organization since signing with the team before the 2023 season. Most recently, he signed a minor league contract in late February after an injury-plagued 2024 season in which he only appeared in four games because of elbow and neck injuries. He made the team’s opening day roster out of spring training, and given his experience, it felt like he had a chance to earn a prominent spot in the bullpen even though he had been exclusively a starting pitcher at the MLB level until recently.

Clevinger's Struggles

The transition from starter to reliever has not gone well for Clevinger, to put it lightly. In eight appearances this season, he has pitched to a 7.94 ERA, 2.29 WHIP, and 6.20 FIP, including giving up three runs in an inning’s worth of work last night. Even worse, he has walked eight while only striking out three. Whether his struggles are injury-related or not, Clevinger hasn’t performed. The organization has evidently had enough. Given his status as a veteran, he will likely elect free agency in hopes of landing another opportunity elsewhere.

Steven Wilson's Arrival

Steven Wilson, 30, will replace Clevinger in the White Sox bullpen. Acquired in last year’s Dylan Cease trade with the San Diego Padres, Wilson struggled mightily with the White Sox last season. He made 40 appearances, pitching to a 5.71 ERA. Back and shoulder issues could be to blame, but he was ultimately DFAed by the team in February. 

However, Wilson remained in the organization and has pitched at Triple-A so far in 2025. The early results are much more promising than last year. Wilson has a 1.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in just 5.1 innings in five appearances with the Charlotte Knights. Even more promising is the fact that he has only walked one batter. Wilson has a track record of being a quality MLB reliever dating back to his days with the Padres, so he could potentially round back into form in the White Sox bullpen.

White Sox Bullpen Shuffling Continues

While slightly better recently, the White Sox bullpen has been a weak point of the team all season long. They have already had numerous implosions, and manager Will Venable has had to mix and match to find anyone who can get outs at the end of games. As an older pitcher with injury issues who wasn’t performing, it felt like the clock was ticking on Mike Clevinger's time with the White Sox. Sure enough, it was.