GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mike Clevinger has reported to the Chicago White Sox for spring training, joining his new team amid an ongoing investigation by Major League Baseball into allegations of domestic violence.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters on Wednesday the team’s “only option” was to allow the right-hander to come to camp while awaiting results of MLB’s investigation.
The 32-year-old Clevinger finalized a $12 million, one-year contract with Chicago in December. MLB’s probe predates his agreement with the White Sox.
In an Instagram post on Jan. 24, Olivia Finestead said she is the mother of Clevinger’s child and alleged he fathered two other children who were not hers. She posted a photo of marks on her body with accompanying words that alleged the injuries were “from when he threw an iPad at me pregnant” and “finally left when he strangled me.”
“Mike Clevinger,” she added, “you really deserve hell I’ve kept quiet now for almost a year and you continue to covertly abuse your infant.” She said Clevinger “threw chew spit on our baby.”
Jay Reisinger, a lawyer for Clevinger, issued a statement last month that said, “Mike emphatically denies the accusations made by Ms. Finestead.” The statement said Clevinger “has never harmed Ms. Finestead or his daughter.”
Clevinger himself echoed his lawyer’s sentiments when speaking to reporters on Wednesday, adding that he prefers to “trust the process.”
“Just asking everyone to wait before the rush to judgment,” he said. “Wait until the actual facts are out there. Wait until there is actual evidence and then make your decision on who you think I am.”
When asked what he had to specifically say about the accusations, Clevinger said, “Uncomfortable would be a good adjective for it.”
“It’s really embarrassing,” he added. “It’s not who I am and now I have to sit here on my first day and answer questions like I am one of those people. It’s devastating but … I’m excited to see when the facts come out.”
The Associated Press typically does not identify victims of domestic violence or sexual assault unless they agree to be named or come forward publicly with their allegations, as Finestead has.
Hahn told reporters Wednesday the team had no way of knowing about MLB’s investigation “without someone being in violation” of the domestic abuse policy’s confidentiality clause.
Hahn also said “there was no indication of anything close to what is being alleged in this guy’s background.”
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and The Associated Press contributed to this report.