Givens and Tate continue rehab assignments Wednesday

Orioles reliever Mychal Givens was back in the Camden Yards home clubhouse this afternoon, taking a brief break from his injury rehab assignment.

Givens said his left knee feels much better, but he doesn’t know when the Orioles will activate him. He hasn’t allowed a run or hit in three innings with Double-A Bowie and has struck out five batters.

The Orioles are keeping Givens with the Baysox. He pitches again Wednesday night in Harrisburg.

“The last three outings have been good, so we’re still taking it day by day,” he said. “We’ll continue to evaluate how I’ve been feeling, but right now it’s been going well, in the right direction.

“The knee’s not having the problems it had earlier in spring and earlier in the month.”

Asked if he could pitch in the majors, Givens replied, “Does everybody think they can pitch in the major leagues?”

“Right now, just still letting my body tell me what is really good,” he said. “Right now, I’m just taking it day by day and progress to feeling good and have that mentality to pitch in major league days.”

The Baysox are in Harrisburg for their next six games beginning Tuesday night.

Dillon Tate also is pitching Wednesday, but he goes from Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk, which plays in Jacksonville this week.

Tate has made one appearance with High-A Aberdeen and four with the Baysox and allowed eight earned runs (10 total) and nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts in four innings.

Manager Brandon Hyde doesn’t know what happens next for Givens and Tate.

“They’re going to throw on Wednesday and then we’ll go from there,” he said.

Center fielder Cedric Mullins is out of the lineup. Hyde wants to rest him after the three-city road trip and appearances in all 34 games this season.

Mullins’ absence tonight isn’t based on the matchup with Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan. He’s batting .296/.404/.546 against southpaws this year, and he’s 6-for-17 with two home runs lifetime against the Baltimore native.

“He played a 10-(game) road trip and played in three of the biggest outfields in the game and played his heart out in Atlanta the last three days,” Hyde said. “An 11:30 game after a 7:15 FOX game, so just giving him a breather.”

For the Rays
Yandy Díaz DH
Wander Franco SS
Randy Arozarena LF
Brandon Lowe 2B
Taylor Walls 3B
Josh Lowe RF
Jose Siri CF
Luke Raley 1B
Francisco Mejía C

Shane McClanahan RHP