Mills on Givens: "Good stuff and it's coupled with confidence"

Mychal Givens is providing the ultimate example of a pitcher who's picking up right where he left off. From last year's wild card game in Toronto to a dominant 2017 regular season. And without the hassles at customs.

Givens retired all seven Blue Jays that he faced at Rogers Centre, striking out three of them, before the Orioles lost 5-2 in 11 innings.

(In case you are unaware, Zach Britton didn't pitch and Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer off Ubaldo Jiménez in the 11th. Michael Bourn batted leadoff but hasn't played in the majors in 2017, which I find weird, but I digress ...)

It's easy to forget about Givens' performance based on the game's ending and the controversy surrounding Britton's exclusion, but it's impossible to overlook him this season. He's 7-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 47 appearances, with 11 runs and 36 hits allowed and 57 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings.

Givens hasn't surrendered a run in his last 12 appearances over 13 1/3 innings, with one walk and 18 strikeouts. He's registered a 0.60 ERA in 26 games since May 26.

The numbers are staggering. Sort of like how he keeps hitters so off-balance (see what I did there?)

Givens allowed one run in 12 2/3 innings in June, with two walks and 13 strikeouts. He allowed one run in 12 1/3 innings in July, with one walk and 18 strikeouts.

"I'll say it like I always say it, even when the guy's not doing well, he's always had good stuff," said bullpen coach Alan Mills. "Right now, he has good stuff and it's coupled with confidence. When you're out there and you're confident, things have a tendency to go your way more often. And like I said, he's a very talented individual."

One of the best shortstops-turned-relievers you'll find.

The Orioles basically made Givens untouchable at the non-waiver deadline. He's under team control through 2022 and could be closing within the next year or two, depending on what the Orioles do with Britton and Brad Brach.

Givens hasn't recorded a save in the majors, but he notched 15 with Double-A Bowie in 2015. He knows the ninth inning and protecting leads, and the Orioles believe he could handle the job for them.

"Sure, he definitely has the stuff," Mills said. "He throws from an unorthodox position, throws three pitches that he can get over for strikes - fastball, slider and changeup. Usually, with closers, they come in and they get ahead right away and he's capable of doing that. He's unafraid and he does have the makeup and the stuff to go along with that.

"It's a very difficult thing to do to get those last three outs of a game because hitters know that's their last opportunity, so the at-bats kind of get tougher. I'm sure he's capable of rising to the occasion and getting it done. Only in the future will we be able to tell, but he has the stuff. But there are a lot of guys out there in the 'pen who have that stuff."

Givens now has a way to defend himself against left-handers, who are batting .147 against him this season, compared to .366 in 2016. He began to trust his changeup and it's become a weapon.

"I don't know about him last year. I wasn't here. But I know he has a changeup," Mills said.

"Usually, left on right, if you have a changeup, that kind of balances out at-bats. As long as he's able to control his changeup and get it over the plate, complement it with his fastball, which has been pretty good, he should be able to balance that out."

As for tonight's starter, Kevin Gausman has allowed only one run and struck out 24 batters in his last three appearances over 20 2/3 innings. He came within an out Saturday night of a complete-game shutout in Texas, and his ERA has dropped from 6.39 to 5.37.

Gausman is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA and 1.357 WHIP in five career starts against the Tigers over 28 innings. Ian Kinsler is 7-for-14 with two doubles and a home run against him. Victor Martinez is 1-for-15.

Justin Verlander will be at Camden Yards tonight. I can't vouch for his fiancée.

Verlander is making his 23rd start. His ERA is up from 3.04 last season to 4.29, his WHIP from 1.001 to 1.438. But he's allowed five runs and struck out 23 batters in his last three starts over 20 innings.

Verlander is 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.340 WHIP in 11 starts at home and 2-5 with a 5.32 ERA and 1.539 WHIP in 11 starts on the road. He's 9-5 with a 3.77 ERA and 1.192 WHIP in 18 career starts against the Orioles and 7-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.031 WHIP in nine starts at Camden Yards.

Seth Smith is 5-for-31 (.161) with a home run and 10 strikeouts against Verlander. Chris Davis is 7-for-29 (.241) with 14 strikeouts.

Jonathan Schoop has three hits in 14 at-bats, but two of them are home runs.

* The Casey Cares and Orioles Eighth Annual 5K Run/Walk takes place Saturday morning at Camden Yards. Proceeds from the event benefit the Casey Cares Foundation, which provides uplifting and ongoing programs with a special touch to critically ill children and their families.

I've seen first-hand what the foundation does and it's inspiring.

Davis and wife Jill will be there.

The race begins at 8 a.m. and finishes inside Camden Yards. Online registration is closed, but you can sign up on Friday at the packet pickup or the morning of the race. Find out more here.