Givens returns to where it all started in Baltimore

Anybody who follows Mychal Givens on Instagram can see how much he enjoys being a father. His profile is filled with pictures of his two daughters, 6-year-old Makaylah and 3-year-old Ahmya.

So it was no surprise that when Givens joined a Zoom call to talk with reporters on Wednesday -- after the finalization of his one-year deal with the Orioles -- he was accompanied on camera by his daughters. After all, Givens’ decision to sign with Baltimore marks a return for them, too, as both were born during the right-hander’s time with the O’s from 2015-20.

“It’s fun to be able to have them relive their young lives as a baby, and to get back to being a Baltimore Oriole,” Givens said.

A lot has changed since Givens was taken by the Orioles in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Fla. At that time, he was an infielder. In ‘13, he was converted to a pitcher in Baltimore’s system, and by ‘15, he was emerging as a key member of the O’s bullpen.

Plenty has happened just since Givens was dealt from Baltimore to Colorado at the 2020 Trade Deadline as well.

Givens has experienced multiple changes of scenery after having stability early in his career. He pitched for two teams in both ‘21 (Rockies and Reds) and ‘22 (Cubs and Mets), as the 32-year-old has now been moved at the Trade Deadline in three consecutive seasons.

“That comes with the game. You have to get used to it, the business part of it,” Givens said. “You just have to take accountability for the possibility it could happen.”

Meanwhile, the Orioles have transformed into a stronger team since Givens’ departure. At the end of his previous tenure with the club, Baltimore was in the early years of a rebuild -- hence its decision to part with Givens in a trade that brought in infielders Terrin Vavra and Tyler Nevin.

Now the O’s are coming off a 2022 season in which they won 83 games and are hoping to earn a postseason bid in ‘23.

“I got to face them a little bit when I was in a Cubs uniform last year and got to see the improvements and watching from afar the things they’ve been doing with the young talent,” Givens said. “It’s been fun to watch.”

It’ll also be a fun situation for Givens to join. Baltimore’s bullpen was much improved last season, ranking ninth in MLB with a 3.49 ERA. Givens, who had a 3.36 ERA in 113 games over the past two years, will be another reliable late-inning arm for that unit.

Givens’ pitching style has remained the same over the years. He relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that mostly sits in the 93-95 mph range, then mixes in a slider and a changeup. So not much has changed.

“I can say I got older. That’s one thing,” Givens said with a smile.

That’s another reason why the Orioles wanted him. Their trio of big league free-agent signings this offseason (Givens, right-hander Kyle Gibson and infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier) are the three oldest players on their roster. These veterans should complement their young core well.

In Givens’ first stint in Baltimore, he was learning from more experienced relievers such as Zack Britton, Darren O’Day, Tommy Hunter and Brad Brach. Now Givens has knowledge and advice he can share as a mentor to younger O’s relievers, including Félix Bautista and Cionel Pérez.

“When you get older, you try to get wiser, learn your routine,” Givens said. “Learn to be consistent and understand that you’re going to have your ups and downs, and how to just basically forget the negative outings so you can wake up the next day and just go perform and help out your bullpen.”

Givens’ career is coming full circle. Especially now that he’s bringing his daughters back to Baltimore -- something he never ruled out as a possibility, even following his exit.

“I always thought I would always have an opportunity to come back, with the great ownership, with the Angelos [family], and leaving in good peace with the front office and all the things they were doing,” Givens said. “It is always [somewhere] I can call home.”