Mike Clevinger forced to change gloves after first inning against Angels

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger changed his glove after a 1-2-3 first inning tonight, and no one seems to be completely sure why. Third base umpire Bill Miller pulled Clevinger aside after the inning (in which he made Mike Trout look downright silly) and talked with him, then when he came out for the second inning he was sporting a new black glove.

The change, as best estimated by the SportsTimeOhio crew, was made because Clevinger’s glove technically violated a rule about pitcher’s gloves because it’s was too light.

3.07 (1.15) Pitcher’s Glove

(a) The pitcher’s glove may not, exclusive of piping, be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner. No fielder, regardless of position, may use a fielding glove that falls within a PANTONE® color set lighter than the current 14-series.

But as Indians fans quickly pointed out, Clevinger has worn the same glove all season long, so why would it be an issue now, in his 13th start of the season?

Unless Los Angeles Angels Manager Mike Scioscia felt like the glove had some kind of foreign substance on it, there isn’t much reason for making him change it. Maybe it was his first encounter with Clevinger’s curveball and it didn’t look natural. After all, the Angels traded him to the Indians well before he made it to the majors in LA.

As for the real reasoning, I have a theory:

The glove was traded

Cameras have not been able to catch a glimpse of Clevinger’s first-inning glove, but word is it was last seen giving hugs and high-fives to fellow glovemates in the dugout. It’s been involved in a lot of trade rumors lately and might be headed to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Mike Napoli’s glove.