Colorado Rockies bolster bullpen with Mychal Givens trade

The Colorado Rockies have begun adding for a playoff push, acquiring Mychal Givens from the Baltimore Orioles for a package of prospects.

With barely a month to go in the season, the Colorado Rockies find themselves as one of the multiple teams vying for the final two Wild Card spots. Several teams on the cusp of the postseason will start selling, giving the Rockies a chance to solidify their spot in the postseason.

On Sunday, they made a move to do just that. Mychal Givens, one of the most coveted relievers on the block, has been sent to Colorado for a package of prospects.

Although Givens was coming off of a rough year in 2019, he righted the ship when he returned to a setup role. In his 13 innings this season, he has allowed just two runs on seven hits and six walks, striking out 19 batters. Givens is also under team control through 2022, so he could be a building block for the Rockies bullpen.

In exchange, the Rockies get a pair of interesting prospects. Terrin Vavra was considered the Rockies’ fifth best prospect by MLB.com at the time of the trade, a player who did not have any specific standout tool, but does have a solid all around skillset.

He has a short, compact swing that leads to plenty of line drives, and has displayed the ability to drive the ball from gap to gap. Vavra also has an excellent eye and strong contact skills that could make him a solid option as a future number two hitter. He produced a solid 318/.409/.489 batting line in 453 plate appearances, hitting 32 doubles and ten homers while stealing 18 bases. Vavra also drew 62 walks while striking out just 62 times. As a middle infielder, that profile could play up well.

If healthy, Tyler Nevin has the potential to be an intriguing prospect. As a first baseman/third baseman, he was blocked in the Rockies system. He had also appeared in a total of 236 games over his first four seasons in the minors, further stunting his development. However, his advanced approach and ability to barrel the ball make him a worthwhile gamble.

His 2019 campaign showed why. Nevin produced a .251/.345/.399 batting line with 26 doubles and 13 homers in his 540 plate appearances, drawing 65 walks while striking out just 90 times. However, he has displayed some issues with better breaking pitches, which will be a problem at the higher levels of the minors.

Nonetheless, this is a solid haul for the Orioles. Both players have a chance to start in the majors within the next couple of years. Vavra could be an option as one of the top hitters in the lineup, while if Nevin can stay healthy and develop, he could be a solid middle of the order bat.

Meanwhile, for the Rockies, Givens shores up one of their biggest problems heading into the deadline. Colorado relievers had a 5.81 ERA entering Sunday, the third worst mark in the majors. While GIvens will almost assuredly see his ERA increase due to being a member of the Rockies, he will still be an immediate upgrade.

The Colorado Rockies have made a deal to bolster their bullpen in acquiring Mychal Givens. Given their bullpen issues, this may not be the last reliever they acquire before the deadline.