Stacking up the Orioles' trade chips and where Givens fits

With each failed outing by Orioles reliever Mychal Givens, fan reaction tends to be divided in equal parts frustration over a bungled lead and the loss in value of one of the club's largest trade chips.

Is Givens really hurting the front office's ability to negotiate a deal, if that's what it wants to do?

Givens just turned 29 and is under team control until he reaches free agency in 2022. He's averaging 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings, just a hair under his career high of 11.6 in 2016, but he's also walking a career-worst 5.2.

Though he wasn't charged with a run Sunday in Colorado while allowing two inherited runners to score in another walk-off loss, his ERA going into tonight is an unsightly 5.56 that's easily the highest of his career. He finished 0-7 with a 3.99 ERA last summer and has gone 0-10 - if you care about a pitcher's record - since beginning his career 18-3.

It isn't surprising that Givens' 1.500 WHIP also is the highest that he's registered, with 21 hits and 13 walks over 22 2/3 innings. The five home runs bring him halfway to his previous high set in 78 2/3 innings in 2017.

Sounds pretty bad, but we're two months from the trade deadline and Givens has plenty of time to reverse field and get back to being one of the most sought-after relievers over the past few seasons. A guy that the previous regime made virtually untouchable while envisioning him as its future closer - knowing with or without a teardown that it wouldn't be able to pay Zack Britton.

There are teams out there who could seek Givens to work the sixth or seventh innings, to perhaps serve in a setup role rather than take on the burden of closing. And the Orioles aren't pressed to move him this summer. They don't have to sell low. He isn't a pending free agent.

Givens could use a few days of rest, a brief reset and perhaps a less-stressful situation if one actually exists. Another reliever might need to be pushed a little harder rather than Givens going into come-to-rescue mode, which clearly isn't working at the moment.

Manager Brandon Hyde used Givens three out of four days before yesterday's break. He called upon Givens Friday night following Thursday's disastrous outing against the Yankees - five runs in 1 1/3 innings - because he wanted to get the right-hander back into a game immediately, which other managers have done with pitchers as a vote of confidence and to keep them from stewing over the failure. Trevor Story hit a walk-off home run.

Hyde indicated that he'd avoid using Givens for at least a couple of days, but the former shortstop was back on the mound Sunday as the third reliever used in the ninth inning. Paul Fry was allowed to face one batter, walking left-handed hitting Daniel Murphy. Givens walked the next two batters to force in the tying run and Tony Wolters' sacrifice fly produced another grueling defeat.

The Orioles need Givens at his best for multiple reasons, including the trade chip thing. They have plenty of time to get him there. And a longer delay won't prompt them to give him away.

They don't have to do anything with Givens beyond pitching him or exercising one of his options. But yes, in an ideal baseball world, he'd become a dominant late-inning reliever and teams would blow up Mike Elias' phone as they did with former executive Dan Duquette.

"Givens' value has dropped, but the market is big and competitive. He can regain some with better performances," said a scout from outside the organization.

"Baseball is very fluid and I think that the recent four or five outings that he's had have really hurt his value. I see he isn't closing anymore, which is OK. But there are a lot of teams that need a relief guy and there's a lot of interest in the sense that there's probably eight to 10 teams that he could really help, but the way he's pitching now, and I think even last year in the second half, he wasn't that guy, either. I think that his value has diminished.

"I don't think that they're going to get anything that exciting for him. I think they'd get a mid-level prospect. I don't know if they're going to get a top guy, but there's a lot of competition."

Which leads us back to the idea that they should hold onto Givens until his stock rises.

"I would definitely keep him and you've got a long way until the trading deadline," the scout said.

"Say he gets on a run, he has four or five outings that are really good and he straightens himself out, his value jumps up again. Right now his value is at a low ebb for him. I don't think anyone's going to step up with anything exciting enough to make the Orioles move him. I think potentially he could if he has five or six pretty good outings and his velo is there. He could jump up and they may get, as they get closer to the deadline and there are four or five teams that need that guy in the sixth to eighth inning, they could step up with a pretty decent prospect. But right now it's not a good time to move him.

"If he was continually pitching like he was earlier on, then I would say that they may get a pretty good prospect for him. Probably even a top prospect, someone in a team's top five. But now you're down to a mid-level guy at this point. But he could jump up again toward the deadline if he can turn this thing around and show he just went into a slump."

The bigger disappointments for Elias and crew are the injuries to starter Alex Cobb, reliever Nate Karns and designated hitter Mark Trumbo, and the poor performance of starter-turned-reliever Dan Straily.

The Orioles really want to shed Cobb's contract, showing a willingness to absorb a chunk of it, and there's no doubt that he'd prefer going to a contender rather than enduring a rebuild. But he's made three starts, registered a 10.95 ERA and 1.865 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings and gone on the injured list three times.

Cobb isn't close to pitching again. It sounds like he's throwing on flat ground as part of his progression. He'll need to throw live batting practice, maybe pitch in a simulated game and go on a rehab assignment. And then show teams that he's healthy and able to get out hitters again.

Trumbo is starting his injury rehab assignment tonight at Double-A Bowie after playing at extended spring training, the condition of his surgically repaired knee improved to the point where he's able to appear at first base and in the outfield. He could be an attractive option for a team seeking a rented bat, but only if he's given enough time to prove he's healthy and able to become a threat at the plate.

The Orioles were hoping the process would begin a lot sooner, but they also knew that the surgery was complicated and having Trumbo ready for opening day was a long shot despite the optimistic tone struck early in camp.

Karns played catch Sunday morning in Denver with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel standing nearby. He's on the injured list with soreness in his right forearm and considering how he didn't pitch in the majors last season and appeared in only nine games in 2017, his health is going to be an issue for other teams.

The Orioles took a low-risk gamble on a one-year contract that guaranteed $800,000 in salary, with up to $200,000 in incentives. They wanted him to start but were fine with a transition to the bullpen, figuring he'd be an asset in either role. But he's been limited to four appearances and joins Cobb on the 60-day injured list.

Straily is fine physically, as far as we know, but his role as an innings-eater in the rotation hasn't materialized and manager Brandon Hyde moved him to the bullpen after the veteran posted a 9.09 ERA and 1.990 WHIP in nine games and he averaged 3.6 home runs per nine innings. He allowed only one run in four innings yesterday against the Tigers and lowered his ERA to 8.38.

The Orioles envisioned being able to flip Straily at the deadline, in the meantime benefitting from his presence on a relatively inexperienced pitching staff. So far that plan has backfired, but Straily could get another shot with a few more successful relief appearances.

Gabriel Ynoa figures to be a temporary replacement on a team that's growing more frustrated by the short starts coming out of the rotation. The Orioles don't have an immediate answer in the farm system as long as they insist on slow-playing Keegan Akin, who's been the best starter at Triple-A Norfolk but had no experience at that level prior to the season.

Left-hander Richard Bleier couldn't be dealt last summer because of a lat injury that required season-ending surgery in June. He went on the IL this season with shoulder tendinitis but is back on the active roster and should be attractive to multiple clubs.

Having a resume with three consecutive seasons with ERAs under 2.00 tends to draw a crowd of suitors. And he's a lefty with a pulse.

Dylan Bundy is a right-hander with diminished fastball velocity over the years, but his value will increase if he can get on a roll. Scouts will keep gathering for his appearances, perhaps offering recommendations to teams looking for a backend starter.

Let's not discount the "former Orioles pitcher" factor. It goes something like this:

"Hey, look what happened to Jake Arrieta after he left."

They'll cite other examples, too. If the Orioles can't beat the rap, try to take advantage of it.

Trey Mancini is the largest chip in the pile and the Orioles are willing to move anyone, but he could be the most difficult as the emerging face of the franchise, a huge fan favorite and clubhouse leader. It's a tough call for Elias, but the Orioles aren't looking to add payroll and it seems doubtful that they'd already try to extend him.

Make them an offer. Elias will figure it out. He's already given it plenty of thought.

One scout ranked the Orioles' top trade chips as Mancini and infielder Jonathan Villar.

"They're the two best guys who will probably be able to get them something," he said. "I like Villar because he can play both positions and he can steal bases. He's got power and he plays hard. He's a guy that could start for a lot of teams or definitely be a really good extra player.

"Mancini is a pretty good hitter and he's got some power, and the right team in the right lineup ... but he's got to play first base. I think they probably could get a really good pitching prospect or something they feel that they really need. I think he's their top guy to move."

Andrew Cashner is making life a lot easier on Elias with his first-half performance and increased velocity. He can entice teams as a backend starter or reliever. He's a rental, so that impacts his overall value, but he can be moved and the Orioles are motivated to do it.

Meanwhile, the Orioles optioned reliever Evan Phillips after yesterday's 5-3 win over the Tigers and are expected to bring up a position player and go back to a three-man bench.

DJ Stewart wasn't in Triple-A Norfolk's lineup last night.