Cubs: Mychal Givens offers consistency now – and trade value come July

Barring a rather dramatic turnaround of historic proportions, this Chicago Cubs team won’t be bringing October baseball back to the Friendly Confines this fall. The team’s starting pitching has been all over the place, but the North Sider’s quality bullpen has been a major bright spot so far in 2022.

As has been the case in recent years, some key veterans have been key contributors for Chicago. Right-handers David Robertson and Mychal Givens are, perhaps, the two biggest examples on that front. The team’s veteran-focused approach in the bullpen has made all the difference in the world. Speaking of Givens, he has been strutting his stuff and proving his worth as one of the team’s key relievers.

Mychal Givens is a key piece of the Cubs bullpen – and now has trade value

Before the season commenced, the Cubs agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with Givens. The 32-year-old right-hander spent most of his career with the Baltimore Orioles before brief stints with the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. Across eight major league seasons, Givens owns a career 3.41 ERA.

During his time in Chicago, Givens has gone 4-0 and posted a 3.48 ERA out of the bullpen with a lone save. Besides coming in the clutch on several occasions already this season and offering much-needed consistency, Givens offers a solid veteran presence in the clubhouse. This presence is essential, especially for this Chicago team featuring a lot of young guys.

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Looking ahead at another potential mid-season sell-off in July and August, Givens could make for a valuable trade chip, and who knows, he could be gone by this year’s trade deadline. But, for now, he is making his presence in both the bullpen and clubhouse known, and we can only hope that he will continue benefitting the North Siders as long as he’s here.