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On Tuesday, Olivia Finestead, 24, said that she has been in contact with the MLB’sDepartment of Investigationssince the summerof 2022, reportedThe 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,” addedThe Athletic.
On Tuesday,The Athleticincluded a statement from Finestead which was also shared on her Instagram Stories along withallegations of his drug useand 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.
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On Tuesday, ESPN tweeted its ownconfirmation 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 Soxaddressed 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 tomake 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.
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Clevinger’s lawyers shared a statement withTheAthletic, 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 at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
