Checking in on 4 pitchers the Cubs traded away last season

Checking in on 4 players the Cubs traded away last season: #1 - Mychal Givens

Another veteran presence in last year's Cubs bullpen, Mychal Givens, wound up being the piece the Mets acquired from Chicago last summer, sending big right-handed pitcher Saul Gonzalez to the WIndy City in the deal.

Givens had racked up 40 appearances for the Cubs at the time of the trade, averaging 11.3 K/9 and posting a 2.66 ERA. He and Robertson formed a formidable back-end combination for David Ross - but after the deadline, it was back to square one as far as figuring out who handled what in the Chicago bullpen.

Things in Queens did not go well for Givens - he was shelled in his early appearances and by season's end, had a 4.79 ERA and 10.5 H/9 to show for his time with the Mets. This winter, he returned to the Baltimore Orioles, the team that initially drafted him in the second round back in 2009 on a one-year, $5 million deal with an option for 2024.

Unfortunately, Givens is yet to throw a pitch this year for the O's due to a knee injury. The good news, though, is he should be starting a rehab assignment in late April - and could be back in the Baltimore bullpen sometime in May.

Scott Effross

David Robertson

Mychal Givens