Overview
- The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that teams have called on Cleavinger, with no indication a deal is close or specific clubs identified.
- Cleavinger posted a 2.35 ERA with a 33.7% strikeout rate over 61 1/3 innings in 2025, reinforcing his value as a high-miss lefty.
- He will earn $2.4 million in 2026 and has one arbitration year remaining before free agency after the 2027 season.
- Tampa Bay projects Cleavinger as its lone left-handed reliever and is leaning on a late-inning committee, while Edwin Uceta’s shoulder soreness ended his WBC plan for the Dominican Republic and Cleavinger and Griffin Jax are slated for Team USA.
- Coverage ties the interest to a thin free-agent lefty pool, with prior Yankees interest noted in December and media speculation pointing to possible fits like the Orioles and Blue Jays.