The Cleveland Indians are a real-life soap opera right now ... with vet pitcher Oliver Perez threatening to walk out on the team after Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger broke COVID protocol.
Several Tribe players reportedly went scorched earth on the 2 aces in a team meeting last week ... with guys like Perez and superstar Francisco Lindor going off on them for hanging out with friends in Chicago, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
While Plesac and Clevinger both tested negative for COVID-19 after the incident, the team's real issue is with how the pitchers lied and put the organization at risk, especially since Carlos Carrasco is a cancer survivor, the report says.
39-year-old Perez even went as far as to say he would opt out of the remainder of the 2020 season if Clevinger and Plesac rejoined the team last week.
Of course, the pitchers were demoted to the Tribe's alternate site on Friday ... and will spend at least 10 days away from the team.
Fellow pitcher Adam Plutko also went off on the duo last week, saying, "They hurt us bad. They lied to us."
Clevinger later issued a lengthy apology and Plesac made a video statement -- while driving his car -- saying he felt "dragged across the mud" by the media. The video didn't go well with teammates, either.
It's a huge hit to Cleveland's rotation -- Clevinger and Plesac were off to great starts in 2020 ... but it's clear most of the players care more about their health than wins and losses this year.