The Opener: Clevinger, Fleming, O’Neill

As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Clevinger exits with injury:

The White Sox announced yesterday that right-hander Mike Clevinger, who exited his start against the Dodgers in the fifth inning last night due to injury, was dealing with what the club termed “right biceps soreness.” In conversation with reporters, including Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Clevinger said the injury “kind of scared” him at first, but that initial tests after the game went well. The right-hander figures to get imaging done today to determine the severity of the issue.

In 62 2/3 innings this season across 12 starts Clevinger has posted a 3.88 ERA (112 ERA+), though his 19.5% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate contribute to a much less desirable 4.89 FIP. Should Clevinger miss significant time, it would be a blow to the club’s rotation and send a potentially valuable rental starter on a 30-39 White Sox team to the shelf with just over six weeks until the trade deadline. Right-hander Jesse Scholtens, who sports a 3.24 ERA in 16 2/3 big league innings this season, seems likely to take Clevinger’s place in the rotation if he were to miss a start.

2. Fleming to meet with specialist:

On the heels of Rays left-hander Josh Fleming hitting the shelf for at least “several weeks” due to an elbow problem, Fleming is expected to meet with specialist Dr. Keith Meister today for an in-person examination. In comments to reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times), Fleming noted that a ligament issue was possible, which would leave the door open to potential Tommy John surgery in a worst-case scenario.

Though Fleming has struggled to a 4.62 ERA and 5.87 FIP in 48 2/3 innings this season, those numbers were sent soaring after the Dodgers torched him for eight runs in his most recent appearance — after which he hit the IL. Floating between the rotation and long relief behind openers this year, Fleming has average more than 4 1/3 innings per appearance, and in eight of his 11 trips to the mound he’s held opponents to two, one or zero runs. He’s pitched at least three innings each time out. The Rays have already lost Jeffrey Springs for the season and won’t see Drew Rasmussen return to baseball activities until closer to the All-Star break. They’re currently sporting a rotation group of Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Taj Bradley, Zach Eflin, and Yonny Chirinos. A lengthy absence from Fleming would remove a useful depth arm from the mix.

3. O’Neill meets with doctor:

Also meeting with a doctor to determine next steps today is Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who has been out since early May with a low back strain. As noted by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, O’Neill received two injections to reduce inflammation in his back after heading to Los Angeles for a second opinion earlier this month, with O’Neill noting that he was “pain-free” for the first time in months. The outfielder is set to meet with the doctor who delivered those injections today for an exam. If cleared to return to baseball activities, O’Neill could begin his rehab process as soon as tomorrow.

In 2021, O’Neill proved to be a revelation for the Cardinals, winning a second consecutive Gold Glove in left field while hitting 34 homers with a .286/.352/.560 batting line. Unfortunately, O’Neill has struggled since then, with a .228/.303/.380 slash line (95 wRC+) in 125 games, including 29 games this season where he’s posted a brutal 73 wRC+ and a 34.3% strikeout rate. With O’Neill joined by fellow outfielder Lars Nootbaar on the shelf, the Cardinals are currently using Tommy Edman in center field, where he’s flanked on most days by Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker.