Mychal Givens

Age: 32 (May 13, 1990)
B/T: R/R
Traditional Stats: 19 G, 20.2 IP, 1-1,  4.79 ERA, 1.452 WHIP, 20 SO, 6 BB
Advanced Stats: 82 ERA+, 22,7 K%, 6.8 BB%, 3.70 xERA, 4.23 FIP, 3.63 xFIP  -0.1 fWAR

Grade: D+

2022 Review

The Mets found a robust pitching market at the trade deadline and turned it into Mychal Givens.

Givens, 32, was traded from the Cubs to the Mets in exchange for minor-league right-hander Saul Gonzalez. Givens in return gave the Mets two months of unreliable relief.

The move made sense at the time. Givens would be reunited with his former manager Buck Showalter and he was cruising with a 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched for the Cubs. The only thing that would’ve made the trade better was if Givens threw left-handed.

Instead Givens struggled. His first relief appearance as a Met came on August 3 against the Nationals. He didn’t get through the inning, allowing five runs on five hits, including two home runs.

He allowed another run three games later against the Braes on August 6, then again on August 12 and August 15. His first seven starts he alternated clean innings and innings where runners crossed home.

Givens role in the bullpen was quickly diminished. The Mets were not receiving the performance they traded for and moved him to a bulk role.

Although, his auspicious start was followed by some much-needed performances where the Mets offense couldn’t help him. He pitched two scoreless against the Dodgers in a 4-3 loss on August 30. He went 1.2 in a 7-3 win over the Nationals, two innings in a 6-3 loss to Miami, and two more scoreless in a 5-2 loss to the Cubs. Givens did not allow a run over his final eight appearances as a Met, totaling 11.1 innings pitched.

Disaster struck again for Givens in mid-September. Givens was placed on the Covid-19 IL on September 17. He wouldn’t pitch again for over two weeks, until October 5. The Mets needed another arm during their horrendous end-of-season stretch where they blew the division. It was unfortunate timing altogether.

2023 Outlook

Givens will not be a Met next season. New York declined Givens’ $3.5 million mutual option for 2023, opting to pay a $1.25 million buyout instead.

For the price, Givens could’ve been retained by the Mets but they appeared scarred and didn’t want to follow through on another year-long commitment to a pitcher who has already shown his worst side in New York.

The Mets have leaned toward relievers with stronger stuff upside this offseason. Signings of John Curtiss, the Rule 5 drafting of Zach Greene, and the trade for Elieser Hernandez display that. The Mets also traded for Brooks Raley to fill a back-end bullpen role.

There is no spot currently available for Givens and the Mets are comfortable following his two months of service to sever ties.