CLEVELAND, OH – It’s no secret that Trevor Bauer was close with Mike Clevinger and Shane Bieber.
The trio competed together, learned from one another and became good friends during their time in Cleveland. That ended when Bauer was dealt to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
The baseball world reacted to the news and instantly thought about how the Indians’ new toys [Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig] would fit in the lineup.
Meanwhile, the trio of right-handers had to process the personal side of things, which was admittedly tough.
“I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for me personally,” Bieber said. “It was kind of a gut shot.”
Moves like this are hard to stomach, especially in the moment. Bieber admitted it was almost surreal when he found out about the trade during Tuesday’s game against the Astros.
The 24-year-old wasn’t upset with the move. He knows the front office has a history of pushing the right buttons. He trusts that they did again in this situation, but it doesn’t make the loss of Bauer any easier.
“I talked to Trevor a little bit last night,” Bieber said. “[I] Didn’t want to stick around too long or get too emotional. He’s done a lot for me personally and a lot for this team and a lot for this starting rotation. I really appreciate what he’s done.”
Mike Clevinger spent an extended amount of time at Bauer’s locker following the news on Tuesday night. He was checking on his friend, who was surprised by the trade and the destination.
“I don’t think he predicted going to the Reds,” Clevinger said. I think he maybe predicted going to a contender. That was kind of an eye-opening experience for him in itself.”
Clevinger has been traded before. He knows how personal feels when you find out you’re being sent to a different franchise. He also knows that it’s part of the business.
“I remember how hurt I was when I got traded from the Angels,” Clevinger said. “It felt so personal at the time. I was 20 years old and I felt like it was them giving up on me. I remember looking back and seeing the business side of things and it’s just not the way it is.
“It’s like stocks, man. It doesn’t matter about your feelings, it’s about winning.”
Clevinger is all smiles, all the time. He isn’t worried about Bauer having success in Cincinnati.
His focus remains on the Indians, who needed to bolster their lineup. Clevinger was a fan of what they got in return for Bauer.
“I ate lunch with him [Bauer] today right before I came here,” Clevinger said. “I was like, ‘Hey look at the return you gave us with you leaving. You see how many guys came over here?’ So that was a little bright side to it.”
The Indians added 49 home runs to their big league roster and a 22-year-old who could contribute later this season.
Clevinger is excited to work with Logan Allen, who was sent to Triple-A Columbus.
“It’s like my little brother,” he said. “Me and him workout in the offseason. I actually spent a lot of time with him living in the same house as him this offseason. It’ll be good to get him back over here and get him back working the right way.”
Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes could make life easier on the Indians’ rotation. Bieber held a great Astros lineup to just two runs on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough because the Tribe only had two hits. The front office knew hitting was a problem and they addressed it with their best available trade chip.
Bieber and Clevinger will continue to grow as pitchers without Bauer, but the impact he had on both of their careers will help the Indians for years to come.
