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Minnesota Twins: 5 controllable players the front office should pursue before the trade deadline

By Nate Palmer

BOSTON, MA - JULY 28: A Minnesota Twins ballbag on the field before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 28, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 28: A Minnesota Twins ballbag on the field before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 28, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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Minnesota Twins
BALTIMORE, MD – MAY 12: Mychal Givens #60 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first game of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 12, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /

Mychal Givens, Relief Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

So much of me wants to put Danny Duffy in this fifth and final spot. It just seems like a really unlikely scenario. So instead I will go with another relief pitcher here that could help solidify the back of the Twins bullpen with some major league proven talent to mix in with their young and unproven pitchers. That is Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher, Mychal Givens.

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The Orioles are in a place where it would be really nice to reload with a lot of young talent. While giving up a young and controllable pitcher may not be what fans want to see, it could be a fast way to a lot of good prospects for the Orioles. Even in what looks like a down year overall, Givens has plenty to offer in a major league bullpen.

So far in 2018 Givens has tossed 52.2 innings and has a higher 4.78 ERA than he would like. Some of that could be attributed to a higher walk rate than he had in 2017 at 4.1 BB/9. Givens FIP still sits at a good 2.99 and he has a K/9 rate of 9.9. Even while turning in his career-worst mark he still employs a 10.8% swing strike rate in 2018.

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Givens also throws a fastball in the mid-90s and has offspeed stuff in the form of a changeup and slider that sit in the mid to high 80s. There was concern early in Given’s career in his ability to get both right-handers and left-handers out. Something that could again be a bit of a concern as he is allowing a batting average of .293 to lefties this season. Givens did only allow a .184 batting average against to lefties in 2017. That provides plenty of optimism that Givens could help lock down the backend of the Twins bullpen for years to come if they acquire him before the trade deadline.

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