3 years agoSan Diego Padres pitcher Mike Clevinger missed the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November 2020. The right-hander posted a 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.64 K:9, 8.6BB%, and 4.15 FIP over 41 2/3 innings for Cleveland Guardians/San Diego Padres. He made four regular-season starts with San Diego and went (2-1) with a 2.84 ERA. The Padres signed Clevinger to a two-year, $11.5 million contract during the 2021 offseason, indicating he will be at full strength for 2022. The 31-year-old was a top-20 starter with an elite strikeout rate (career 10.01 K:9) before the injury, and fantasy managers should monitor his recovery from the surgery during Spring Training. He is progressing well and reportedly "felt good" after throwing off the mound for the first time in November. However, Clevinger will most likely have his innings capped in 2022 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, limiting his fantasy upside. Clevinger is expected to be fourth in the Padres rotation behind Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Blake Snell. The upside is there for Clevinger, but he has had durability issues throughout his career and topped 130 innings just once over five seasons. Steamer projections have Clevinger with a 3.76 ERA, 26.3K%, 8.1 BB%, 39.9 GB%, and a 3.83 FIP over 24 starts. According to Rotoballer's Expected Draft Values, the Padres right-hander is roughly fair value at his current NFBC ADP of 196.--Brad Camara - RotoBaller