O's activate Mychal Givens for series finale, plus today's lineup

TORONTO - The Orioles are getting a reinforcement today for their heavily-used bullpen as right-hander Mychal Givens has been activated as the Orioles try to sweep Toronto today at Rogers Centre. Givens has not pitched in an O's game since March 16 in spring training.

But today he comes off the 15-day injured list - he's been out with left knee inflammation. To make roster room lefty Cole Irvin was optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk. Recalled Tuesday from the Tides, Irvin pitched just once since his return to the club and that was in yesterday's 6-5 Orioles win in 10 innings. 

He faced two batters in the seventh inning, allowing an inherited run on an RBI single to Alejandro Kirk and he got a popout to the infield from Matt Chapman. He threw just seven pitches.

With Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista having pitched in both games of this series and very likely not available today, the O's are short in the bullpen today and enter Givens to provide a lift.

Orginailly drafted by the Orioles as a high school shortstop out of Tampa, Fla. in the second round in 2009, he was later converted to pitcher. The O's traded him on Aug. 30, 2020 to Colorado in a deal that brought the club Terrin Vavra, Tyler Nevin and a player to be named later that became minor league outfielder Mishael Deson.

Last season, between the Cubs and Mets, Givens was 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 61 1/3 innings. The Orioles signed him as a free agent Dec. 21 to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2024.

Givens threw four innings in spring allowing one unearned run before his knee issues.

He pitched five games at Double-A Bowie and one at Triple-A Norfolk on a minor league rehab assignment going 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA and allowing two hits and four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings. In his most recent outing he pitched 1 2/3 scoreless Tuesday for Norfolk. On Thursday he threw a bullpen side session at Camden Yards.

So he's rested and likely to be called on to make his season debut later today as the O's try to start their two-city, AL East road trip at 3-0.   

Here is today's lineup as the O's go for the sweep

CF Cedric Mullins
DH Adley Rutschman
RF Anthony Santander
1B Ryan Mountcastle
2B Adam Frazier
LF Austin Hays
3B Gunnar Henderson
C James McCann
SS Joey Ortiz

P Dean Kremer

The Orioles have one three-game sweep to their record this year in April at home against Detroit.

Kremer is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA over his past three starts.