White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is being investigated by the Major League Basketball for alleged child abuse and domestic violence against the mother of his 10-month-old daughter. Olivia Finestead, the mother of Clevinger's daughter, claimed on Tuesday that the 32-year-old strangled her and once threw an iPad at her while she was pregnant.
Finestead made the allegations in a series of posts on social media. Additionally, she claims Clevinger "threw chew spit on our baby." Finestead also provided photos of her alleged injuries, which she claims happened last season while Clevinger was playing for the Padres. MLB has taken the allegations seriously and has launched an internal investigation.
Career-Damaging Allegations
Finestead made the damaging allegations on Instagram in a series of posts on Tuesday. "I hope the @MLB does what they should and puts him in required therapy maybe even a small suspensions (sic) so he can take time out to really think about why he abuses his kids and their mothers," the post read.
"You really deserve hell," she wrote. "I've kept quiet for almost a year and you continue to covertly abuse your infant, withhold ALL of her belongings, we have none of our stuff, still not even her birth certificate or her car seat attachment. He's made sure to do everything he can to keep control."
"I'm not kidding either when I say his other kids (sic) mother has been chetaed (sic) on thousands of times even with them under the same roof," she wrote, adding: "pregnant & not pregnant."
She also described Clevinger as "Truly an evil person."
Additionally, Finestead, 24, claimed to The Athletic that Clevinger had slapped her in a hotel room during a June game between the Padres and Dodgers. The Jacksonville, Florida native, according to her, is a "huge drug addict" who often uses acid and mushrooms.
The Athletic reported that MLB is looking into Finestead's allegations.
"We need to fairly and thoroughly protect our client and at the same time be respectful of the White Sox and MLB," Clevinger's agent, Seth Levinson, said via a text message to the outlet. "We need time before responding."
Investigation Launched
Clevinger has been with the San Diego Padres since 2020, but he played the majority of his career with Cleveland. He just signed with the Chicago White Sox, who, according to a statement from the team, were not made aware of the accusations until after acquiring him.
"Can't blame an organization for something they don't know," Finestead added.
"Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox take any and all allegations very seriously, and the White Sox are completely supportive of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy shared by MLB and the MLBPA," a statement shared with DailyMail.com reported.
"MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations. The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB's investigative process has reached its conclusion."
The allegations against Clevinger come as former Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer, who was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers following allegations of abuse, is still a free agent.
He was formally released by the club after an arbitrator lowered Bauer's historic 324-game suspension due to sexual misconduct claims.
On January 6, Los Angeles designated Bauer for assignment, and he later cleared waivers.
In accordance with Bauer's three-year, $102 million contract, the Dodgers still owe him $22.5 million. Bauer has remained a free agent since the horrific claims, despite the fact that other MLB clubs can contract him for the league minimum of $720,000.
