Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is being investigated by Major League Baseball over allegations of domestic violence and child abuse by the mother of his 10-month-old daughter.
On Tuesday, Olivia Finestead, 24, said that she has been in contact with the MLB’s Department of Investigations since the summer of 2022, reported The Athletic.
The outlet added that these conversations included claims of “physical, verbal and emotional abuse, including an incident from last June in which Finestead said Clevinger choked her.”
Finestead also claimed Clevinger “slapped her in a hotel room when the team was playing the Dodgers and threw used chewing tobacco on their child,” added The Athletic.
The investigation was confirmed by an MLB spokesperson on Tuesday, reported MLB.com.
On Tuesday, The Atlantic included a statement from Finestead which was also shared on her Instagram Stories along with allegations of his drug use and domestic abuse.
“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.
On Tuesday, ESPN tweeted its own confirmation of the investigation.
“Pitcher Mike Clevinger is under investigation for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy after allegations that he abused multiple family members,” the outlet reported, citing an unnamed source.
The White Sox addressed the allegations in a statement, making it clear that they were unaware of the accusations when Clevinger, a former San Diego Padre, was signed in December on a one-year, $12 million dollar free-agent deal that is set to make him $8 million in 2023. A $12 million mutual option is also on the table for 2024, with a $4 million buyout, reported the MLB.
“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. 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.”
Clevinger’s lawyers shared a statement with The Atlantic, saying their client “emphatically denies” the allegations.
“He has never harmed Ms. Finestead or his daughter,” the statement said. “We will not comment on Ms. Finestead’s motive for bringing these false allegations. Her baseless threats and accusations over the last few months have regrettably escalated, culminating most recently in deeply disturbing threats toward Mike and Mike’s family. Her threats and her pattern of abusive behavior are well documented. The simple truth is that Mike has done nothing wrong.”
PEOPLE has reached out to all parties concerned for comment.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
