Marlins Sign Major League Reliever to a Minor League Deal
The Miami Marlins are moving some pieces around.
With A.J. Puk (and potentially Ryan Weathers) expected to start the 2024 season in the starting rotation instead of the bullpen and Edward Cabrera leaving today's game with "right shoulder tightness", the Marlins need some more arms in camp.
Enter Mychal Givens.
Miami agreed with the 33-year-old righty on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training today; the deal won't be official until Givens takes and passes a physical.
Givens, who spent last season with the Orioles, struggled with health last season. He missed 125 days of the 2023 season after separate injured list stints for knee inflammation (52 days) and shoulder inflammation (73), pitching in only six games and allowing six runs (five earned) in his four innings.
But prior to the 2023 season, which earned him $5M from the Orioles between his salary and the buyout of his mutual option, he was an effective medium-leverage option. Between the 2022 and 2021 seasons, spread across four teams (he was traded in-season in both years), he had a 3.36 ERA in 113 appearances, striking out 125 batters in 112.1 innings.
Assuming that Givens is healthy and can ramp up for the season by Opening Day, his addition allows Miami the flexibility to move Weathers into the starting rotation until Max Meyer (Tommy John) and Braxton Garrett (shoulder) can both get ready to take starts in Miami.
It also means that the rotation depth, Bryan Hoeing and Darren McCaughan, could potentially both make the bullpen in long-relief / swingman roles if Sixto Sanchez isn't ready for major league innings.
Managing Editor for Blackerby Media, covering the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins Also: Senior Baseball Writer for Auburn Daily, member of both the National College Baseball Writers Association and Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (where he won the 2023 Prospects, Minors, & College Writer of the Year award)