Mychal Givens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mychal Givens |
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Givens with the Mets in 2022
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| Free agent | ||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | ||||||||||||||
| Born: May 13, 1990 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| June 24, 2015, for the Baltimore Orioles | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2023 season) |
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| Win–loss record | 32–24 | |||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.47 | |||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 539 | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Mychal Antonio Givens (born May 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher. He is currently a free agent, meaning he is not signed with a team. He has played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets.
Contents
Baseball Journey
High School Star
Mychal Givens grew up in Tampa, Florida. He went to Henry B. Plant High School. There, he was a talented baseball player, playing both as a pitcher (who throws the ball) and an infielder (who plays in the middle of the field). He was so good that he was named All-State in his junior and senior years. In 2007, he was chosen to play for the United States national baseball team for players 18 and under.
In 2008, Mychal played in a special high school baseball game called the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game. He showed off his skills by both pitching and playing shortstop. He even won the Jackie Robinson Award, which is given to the best high school player in the country.
During his senior year in 2009, he had a great record as a pitcher, winning 8 games and losing 4. He also had a low earned run average (ERA) of 1.71, which means he didn't give up many runs. He struck out 113 batters in 78 innings. When he was hitting, he had a .374 batting average, hit four home runs, and brought in 31 runs batted in (RBIs). Mychal also played basketball for his high school team.
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Baltimore Orioles picked Mychal in the second round of the 2009 MLB draft. He decided to sign with the Orioles instead of going to college. He received a signing bonus of about $800,000.
The Orioles first tried to develop Mychal as a shortstop. He played for their minor league teams, like the Delmarva Shorebirds. In 2010, he hurt his thumb and needed surgery. He continued to play in the minor leagues, even playing in Australia for the Perth Heat in 2011–12.
Switching to Pitcher
Before the 2013 season, the Orioles asked Mychal if he would like to become a pitcher full-time. He agreed, and it turned out to be a great decision! He started pitching for their minor league teams again. By 2015, he was doing very well for the Bowie Baysox, another Orioles minor league team. He had a 3–1 record, a 1.60 ERA, and 12 saves. He also struck out 54 batters in just over 39 innings.
Major League Debut
Mychal Givens was called up to the major leagues by the Baltimore Orioles on June 20, 2015. He made his first MLB appearance on June 24, pitching one scoreless inning. He quickly showed his talent, and by the end of 2015, he had a 2–0 record with a fantastic 1.80 ERA in 22 games. He struck out 38 batters and only walked six.
In 2016, Mychal continued to impress. He started the season strong and even made history for the Orioles. He became the first Orioles pitcher to start his MLB career with seven wins as a reliever without any losses. He finished the 2016 season with 96 strikeouts and a 3.13 ERA in 66 games. He also had an 8–2 record.
Mychal even pitched in the postseason in 2016, during the Wild Card Game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched over two scoreless innings and struck out three batters.
Playing for Team USA
Mychal was chosen to play for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. This is a big international tournament where countries compete in baseball. Mychal helped Team USA win the gold medal in 2017! He pitched in three games during the tournament.
Continuing His MLB Career
After his success with Team USA, Mychal continued to be an important pitcher for the Orioles. In 2017, he had a 2.75 ERA in 69 games, striking out 88 batters.
In 2018, he became the Orioles' "setup man," which means he pitched in important innings before the closer. He also got 9 saves that year. In 2019, he started as the team's closer, saving 11 games. He appeared in 58 games and struck out 86 batters.
Moving to Other Teams
In August 2020, the Orioles traded Mychal to the Colorado Rockies. He pitched for the Rockies in 2020 and 2021, where he had a good 2.73 ERA in 31 games in 2021.
In July 2021, he was traded again, this time to the Cincinnati Reds. He then signed with the Chicago Cubs in March 2022. Later that year, in August 2022, he was traded to the New York Mets. After the 2022 season, he became a free agent.
Back to the Orioles and Beyond
In December 2022, Mychal signed a contract to return to the Baltimore Orioles. He started the 2023 season on the injured list due to a knee issue. He made his first appearance in May 2023 but later went back on the injured list with a shoulder problem. The Orioles released him in August 2023.
In March 2024, Mychal signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. He pitched in 9 games for their Triple-A team, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. In May 2024, he chose to become a free agent again.
Life Outside Baseball
Mychal Givens was raised by his great-grandmother, Liduvina Padilla, and her late husband, Pedro Padilla.
He married his longtime girlfriend, Tiffani, in 2014, and they have two daughters. In 2020, Mychal started the Givens Back Foundation. This charity helps kids in need by giving them chances to play sports, learn important life lessons, and experience unique opportunities. The foundation holds events like Thanksgiving turkey drives and Christmas events to help families.
