Philadelphia Phillies Rumors: Bullpen stalwart Mychal Givens is a must

If the Philadelphia Phillies don’t do anything but rebuild their bullpen this winter, I have to consider it a success. Fortunately, that looks to be exactly what they could do. Recent Phillies rumors reported by Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia have pointed toward one free agent reliever the team has had “substantive” talks with.

The man? It is seven-year veteran and bullpen stalwart, Mychal Givens.

This is usually the point where I would make a pun about Givens’ name and Thanksgiving. I’ll spare you the cringe. Instead, I would rather dive into why he is a must.

Mychal Givens rumors show that the Philadelphia Phillies are aware of their issues

There are certain things in life you cannot deny. When you smell bad, you have to own up to it. Brush your teeth. Change your clothes. Stay away from me.

Any Phillies rumors which acknowledge their bullpen shortcomings from last season is a great thing. The thorn in their paw for several years now, things have been especially bad in the last two.

While Givens isn’t viewed by anyone as the last in line to close games, he could be a wonderful bridge to whoever they make their closer in 2022.

Lifetime, Givens is 25-20 with a 3.41 ERA in just under 400 big league innings. He has averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine, fanning batters at a consistent rate throughout his career.

Givens somehow found success in 29.2 frames with the Colorado Rockies last season, pitching to a 2.73 ERA. He was traded midseason to the Cincinnati Reds, where he finished his season with a 4.22 ERA performance.

The quintessential seventh or eighth inning man any team should look to add this winter, we should expect to see Givens’ name appear in more than just Phillies rumors. He makes sense for any team looking for a better bullpen. Nobody on the list of potential contenders in 2022 could use it more than the club in Philadelphia.

If Givens goes to the Philadelphia Phillies, it should only be the first of several moves to tend to their Achilles heel. A survivor of Camden Yards, Coors Field, and a few weeks in Cincinnati, Citizen’s Bank Ballpark should pose no threat to this typically reliable bullpen arm.