(670 The Score) Leaks from the MLB commissioner’s office are common on many matters, but domestic violence is one subject that won’t be broached behind the scenes.
That topic is top of mind now after news broke Tuesday that MLB has opened an investigation into White Sox right-hander Mike Clevinger after he was accused of domestic violence. The incidents that MLB is looking into came when Clevinger played for the Padres during the 2022 season. The White Sox then signed Clevinger to a one-year, $12-million deal in early December.
The White Sox weren’t aware of the investigation into Clevinger when they signed him, the team has said.
“When it comes to domestic violence, you don’t get those whispers,” former Marlins executive David Samson said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Thursday. “Those whispers do come (for other matters). You remember the whole collusion situation in baseball. The commissioner’s office does give you whispers when you are signing a free agent. When you’re signing Dansby Swanson and you’re giving him $177 million, you can see where the shortstop market is. MLB can help you understand where he should slot with these other contracts that are coming out. There will be whispers in that regard. But when it comes to steroids and domestic violence, they are tight-lipped. And the reason they are is that you’re talking about someone’s life, you’re talking about impacting families, impacting people for the rest of their lives. Once you are associated with domestic violence, it’s the second or first line of your obituary type of thing. Being overpaid is not part of your legacy, but when you are accused of something that you’ve either done or not done, that tends to stick quite a bit longer. So they are really tight-lipped about that.”
Beyond that, the MLB players’ union could push back if the league leaked information on players while they were looking to sign new contract.
Listen to Samson’s full interview in the audio player above. Samson has known White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf for years, and he explained why he’s surprised that Reinsdorf hasn’t cut ties with Clevinger already.
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