The Indians have shown interest in Orioles position players Manny Machado and Adam Jones leading up to this month’s non-waiver trade deadline. Orioles reliever Mychal Givens has also landed on the Indians’ radar, as Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets that the two teams “have discussed” the right-hander.
With Cleveland a near-lock to win the AL Central, it’s likely going to have to upgrade its bullpen in order to make some noise in the playoffs. While the Indians have been successful on the whole, their relievers rank last in the majors in ERA (5.39) and second last in fWAR (minus-1.2). Moreover, with both injured setup man Andrew Miller and closer Cody Allen set to hit free agency after the season, the Indians’ bullpen may be a major point of emphasis over the winter.
Acquiring Givens could give the Indians an immediate upgrade and a long-term solution in one fell swoop. The 28-year-old has been an effective reliever since debuting in 2015, and he’s controllable via arbitration through 2021. However, Givens – like the Indians’ relievers – has had difficulty preventing runs this year, having run up a 4.40 ERA in 47 innings after combining for a 2.75 mark in 183 1/3 frames from 2015-17. He’s also walking a career-worst 4.4 batters per nine, up from 3.29 over the previous three years, and has never generated many ground balls (38.7 percent).
To the hard-throwing Givens’ credit, he has collected 10.53 strikeouts per nine this year (close to his 10.82 career figure) and logged a 2.73 FIP. Givens has also encountered some poor fortune in 2018, it seems, as his batting average on balls in play (.347) is well above the .279 mark hitters posted against him from 2015-17. That bloated BABIP has hardly come as a result of hitters scorching the ball against Givens. To the contrary, he ranks 18th in the majors in average exit velocity against (85.6 mph) and has put up a .286 xwOBA against, beating out the .301 real wOBA hitters have recorded when facing him.
Not only does Givens continue to look like a quality reliever, then, but with the O’s way out of contention, he’s a logical trade candidate. However, it’s far from certain Givens will leave Baltimore in the coming weeks. In fact, the Orioles are “extremely reluctant” to trade Givens, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
I know teams are getting smarter about this, but I can’t help but think the Orioles would get a better package if they hold onto Givens and allow him to establish himself as a closer. So unless the Indians are about to sell a Miller-type package, I think the Orioles should hold onto Givens.
I’m not sure why Givens would require a package even remotely close to the Miller package
Same.
Miller like package? SMH
They’re dumb enough to do it
Duh Duh Duh Duh Duh
We Indians fans are a mature people
Especially him
Thats the point of what he’s saying tho. Nobodys gonna give them a Miller package because hes not worth it. Hes saying they should only trade him now if theyre blown away and wait until he is closing for them due to a lack of internal options.
The Indians WITH a healthy Andrew Miller probably still need 1 really good reliever, and another decent reliever at the deadline. Cody Allen has been extremely shaky this year. Outside of that, the Indians are top heavy – Brantley, Lindor and Ramirez are solid.. but then what? You’ve got a bunch of guys that will get mowed through in the playoffs. Adam Jones doesn’t really make a lot of sense. I think they need a couple tough-bats – nothing groundbreaking, but a couple guys to lengthen their lineup.
I’d offer Francisco Mejia to the Padres for Wil Myers and Kirby Yates.
How many times are you going to post this same comment? There is no way the Indians will take Myers on with that backloaded contract. And they are far from top heavy….Edwin and Gomes are having solid years and Alonso is also not a slouch. Their starting rotation is arguably top 3 in all of baseball. They need one or two good relievers and maybe a Jay Bruce kind of acquisition to solidify the outfield.
Um, I’ve never posted anything related to this ever before?
Yeah ok
You calling downsr a liar?
I definitely think he’s talking about someone else bc I haven’t posted about the Indians on here ever before.
He is
Nah I’ve seen you post same stuff on here under different screen name
You are.
I’ll admit I posted a few comments about Wil Myers being a fit for the Tribe before he signed that contract. Since them I could see them being interested in Renfroe… But not Myers.
Nah
And Encarnacion is having a good year? He’s hitting .220 with a .770 OPS.
Between him and Alonso, they have a 1.2 WAR. That is very very bad. Their outfield combines for a 1.5 WAR. Myers has missed 60 games this year and stil has a 1.7 WAR himself.
They need upgrades in a big way.
Track record….point is they’re far from top heavy.
War what is it good for
I will continue the song… “Nothing, absolutely nothing.”.
The only track record they have is making the playoffs easy, then blowing it.
Well unlike you at least they make the playoffs first before they blow it…
Indiana are top heavy. The 5-9 spots stink.
Think again
Indians could use a CF and a couple relievers… Myers would add a right handed hitter to that lineup and Yates has been great for a couple years now. I might try and get LHRP Strahm and CF Jankowski too. If you include Alonzo, you could put Myers at 1B and Jankowski in CF. Great defense from both. Indians have the prospects to pull this off.
why would SD want Alonso?
Wil Myers is owed far too much money for the Indians to take on the contract. Even if he was what they need, the last 3 years of 20 million per, would be too much. They really need another reliever controlled beyond this year, and one or two more relievers. Plus an outfield bat. Not sure how much longer I can stand Rajai and Guyer getting regular at bats.
Mejia is way too much to offer in a market that doesn’t appear ready to value Yates that highly in an era that teams trading Myers-like contracts often have to *add* a prospect or cash to move players with multi-year $20MM AAV deals.
In fact, the Orioles are “extremely reluctant” to trade Givens
Yeah, but he is under control until 2022 and the Indians might be will to give up something valuable.
Also, he might be great for the Indians, a playoff contending team, a manager who knows what he is doing, good infielders, good atmosphere, they are a fun bunch.
Package Jones and Givens together and see what that gets.
Go ahead and package Givens with Jones. Getting something in return like Julian Merryweather, Will Benson, and Aaron Civale. A reliever you can put in the pen now, power LH bat down the road, and a potential starter/long man in 2019.
As an Indians fan I’d probably do that, but I’m not sure if Baltimore would. I really like Civale and I think he’s basically a guarantee to be a #4 starter or so, but Merryweather is probably just a guy and Benson has light tower power but he’s also striking out like 40% of the time or something in A ball. If that gets a controllable reliever and an outfielder that isn’t Brandon Guyer, you’d have my attention.
Givens is the future closer, not essential for a rebuilding team. All comes down to return as that’s a lot of control of a quality reliever. He was also converted to pitcher so not a lot of miles on the arm.
Cleveland would do that deal in a heartbeat
All in all, if we’re going after someone with control, I’d prefer Brad Hand.
If the cost to acquire Givens is anything remotely close to what it would take for Hand, then I’d take Hand. But I can’t imagine Givens would cost nearly that much, so I’d be willing to take him.
I don’t think MLBTR should be conceding (“Cleveland a near-lock”) the AL Central to Cleveland just yet. The Twins seem to have finally found their mojo and while Cleveland certainly has the upper hand now, we still 2 1/2 months of baseball left to play. A 7 1/2 game lead in at the All Star break is hardly a “near-lock”!
With a multitude of injuries Indians have sustained this year they’re still far away going to win the central so don’t even go there.
Indiana are top heavy. The 5-9 spots stink.
The Pacers are way to top heavy I agree
Finally! The issues I wish they’d write about on MLBTR!!! XD
Oladipo looks like that kind of transcendent talent that can carry a team though.