O's bring up Givens from Double-A Bowie

TORONTO -- The Orioles' roster carousel continued on Saturday, as they made five moves prior to their game against the Blue Jays.

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Most notably, the O's purchased the contract of Mychal Givens from Double-A Bowie, adding the right-hander to shore up the bullpen after Friday night's 5-4 loss. Starter Mike Wright, who recorded four outs on Friday, as well as Tyler Wilson were optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Saturday's starter Kevin Gausman, who picked up a no-decision in Saturday's 5-3 win, occupied the other open roster spot. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Givens, the O's transferred RHP Jason Garcia to the 60-day disabled list.

"[Givens] was our best option," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I've said all along we have a 36-man pitching staff [including Triple-A and Double-A] and we talk about out opportunity-ing people. It doesn't matter if you're on the roster or off the roster if you're the best guy available. And let's face it, sometimes it's who's fresh and who's available. He's had two days off and he's been throwing multiple innings. ... It fit the best. ... Mike eventually was going to be here. Whether he's pitching in Double-A or Triple-A was really not a factor."

Givens is a former second-round Draft pick of the O's, who was converted from shortstop to pitcher. He has a low arm slot and a mid-90s fastball. The 25-year-old went went 3-1 with a 1.60 ERA and 12 saves in 23 games with Bowie this season. He moved into more of a setup role to help prepare him for a potential promotion.

"It helped a lot," Givens said of moving up in Bowie's games. "They told me a few outings before, in the office, they said, 'We are going to put you in the middle of the game to get you used to it. It helped out, and I had a good feel for it."

Givens arrived around noon on Saturday and warmed up in the eighth inning, with Darren O'Day on the mound, but didn't get into the game. Part of the reason the young pitcher was picked was due to his strong big league camp during Spring Training, which quietly put him on the O's radar.

"We saw him in three or four situations in the spring where we felt he could handle it," Showalter said of Givens, who was moved into more of a setup role with Bowie to prepare him for Baltimore. "He's a guy who has a big upside. ... His stuff can play up here, and fits if he'll trust it and throw it over [the plate]. He's got a breaking ball, a changeup and some things to defend himself against left-handed hitters, kind of like Darren."