The Orioles brought back Mychal Givens to supply a veteran presence to their bullpen. His availability in it continues to be limited.
After the 33-year-old right-hander spent most of the first two months of the season on the injured list with left knee inflammation, right shoulder inflammation has landed him back on the 15-day IL.
In four innings this season since his May 21 activation, Givens, signed to a one-year deal this winter after pitching for Baltimore from 2015 to 2020, has issued six walks and allowed six runs (five earned). His average fastball velocity, according to Baseball Savant, was 91.7 mph, down 3 mph from two seasons ago.
Manager Brandon Hyde said Friday before the Orioles began a three-game road series with the San Francisco Giants that Givens did not undergo an MRI and that the team’s hope is he would healthy enough to be activated in the minimum number of days.
“I think he just felt it a little bit after his last outing; I don’t know if it’s been a recurring thing,” Hyde said. “But hopefully, he can get some rest and some time to heal that up and help us out when he gets off the IL.”
Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, an Ellicott City native, will take Givens’ place on the roster. The 28-year-old has had stints with the Orioles over the past three seasons — with a 5.65 ERA in 31 games, 27 of them starts — and has a 4.05 ERA in nine starts this year with Triple-A Norfolk. Baltimore’s rotation lacks a fifth starter, but Hyde said Zimmermann will pitch out of the bullpen, providing length after the Orioles’ relievers were taxed in a 12-8 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. Hyde also said another left-hander would be useful against San Francisco’s “balanced” offense.
With a day off Monday, the Orioles theoretically could use their four starters — Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells and Kyle Gibson — on regular rest without a fifth starter until June 11 against the Kansas City Royals.
“To be able to get somebody that can give us some length out of the ‘pen, I think that’s important,” Hyde said. “Bruce has been throwing the ball well down there [in Triple-A] and knows the big leagues, been up here with us in the past couple of years.”
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