Jan. 11: The Yankees have now formally announced Britton’s return to the organization.
Jan. 5, 8:13pm: Britton will earn $13MM in each of the next three seasons and could make another $14MM in 2022, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. All said, it’s a $39MM guarantee that could reach $53MM. However, if Britton opts out after two years, it’ll be $26MM. He’ll also get a $1MM assignment bonus if the Yankees trade him, Rosenthal relays.
8:03pm: The three-year guarantee is in the $40MM neighborhood, tweets Rosenthal, who writes that it could go “beyond” $50MM over four years. Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes the figure would be between $50MM and $55MM.
7:50pm: A deal is in place, per Jeff Passan of ESPN, who reports it’ll be for approximately $13MM per season. Passan adds the Yankees will be able to exercise a fourth-year option after the second season. Otherwise, Britton will have the choice to opt out at the conclusion of the second year.
7:40pm: The Yankees are making progress on a contract with free-agent reliever Zach Britton, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. The two sides could finalize an agreement “soon,” per Rosenthal. The deal will be for three guaranteed years, but it’ll include an opt-out clause for Britton and an opt-in for the Yankees that could take it to four years, Jon Heyman of Fancred reports. Britton is a client of the Boras Corporation.
New York has shown reported interest throughout the winter in Britton, one of two key relievers the team saw reach free agency after last season. One of those hurlers, righty David Robertson, signed with the Phillies on Friday, making it all the more important for the Yankees to re-up the left-handed Britton.
The 31-year-old Britton, best known for what was at times an elite run with the Orioles from 2011-18, joined the Yankees last July in a midseason trade between the AL East rivals. Britton then tossed 25 innings of 2.88 ERA ball as a Yankee, adding 7.56 K/9 against 3.96 BB/9. Between the O’s and Yanks, Britton managed a 3.10 ERA and a stellar 73 percent groundball rate over 40 2/3 frames in 2018, though his strikeout and walk numbers (7.52 K/9 and 4.65 BB/9) left much to be desired, as did his 4.22 FIP and 25 percent home run-to-fly ball rate. The sinker-reliant Britton also didn’t offer the same velocity he had during previous seasons.
Last season was the second straight injury-shortened campaign for Britton, who has battled forearm, knee and Achilles issues since his 2014-16 heyday in Baltimore. Thanks in part to his health troubles, Britton hasn’t been the dominant force he was during that otherworldly three-year stretch. Across 209 innings in those seasons, Britton led relievers in groundball rate (77.9 percent), finished second in ERA (1.38), logged 9.26 K/9 against 2.37 BB/9, and converted 120 of 128 save chances.
While Britton is no doubt one of the majors’ most proven closers, he won’t be the game-ending option next season in New York, which already has Aroldis Chapman for that role. He’s instead in line to rejoin Dellin Betances and Chad Green as the top setup options to Chapman (depth chart), and it’s possible free-agent righty Adam Ottavino will slide in along with them. Ottavino, the second-best free-agent reliever left (trailing Craig Kimbrel), remains a possibility for the Yankees, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweets.
Adding Ottavino would be yet another costly move for the Yankees to ensure they offer another all-world bullpen in 2019. For now, with Kimbrel still on the board, Britton stands as the highest-paid reliever in this winter’s class. With $39MM in guaranteed money coming to him, Britton’s contract outdoes the deals awarded this offseason to similarly regarded relievers Robertson, Jeurys Familia, Andrew Miller, Joe Kelly and Joakim Soria. Britton’s pact is also worth north of the $33MM guarantee MLBTR predicted he’d secure when he entered free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thank god. I’m tired of waiting for something to happen.
Evil Empire
50+ mill for a 4.22 FIP last year? Um, no thanks.
3 years guaranteed, up to 50 million, for Britton….what a country!!!
You truly are clueless aren’t you? I mean besides not being able to read, don’t you ever get tired of being wrong?
established groundball pitcher Zach Britton scoffs at your “FIP”
MLB Groundball Pct Leaders (min. 30 IP)
2018 – Zach Britton
2017** – Scott Alexander (**Britton 2nd)
2016 – Zach Britton
2015 – Zach Britton
2014 – Zach Britton
(mobile.twitter.com/ktsharp/status/1081737212063084…)
Sabermetric Mgs want strikeouts. Shrewd GMs want a roster with a combination. Ground ball pitchers can get double plays and throw less pitches. Shifting more than ever shows teams are still designing a defense for ground balls.
*GMs
Geeze, me too, a great signing
Is it? Not so sure.
Yes, a wonderful signing. Dilly, dilly!
I despise the Stankees. But they’re not the only team I despise.
Thanks for your input.
lolol
You’re welcome. I’m here all weekend.
Drive safely, …
…. don’t forget to tip your waitress.
Thank you Kanye, very cool!
This comment, lol. Best one in a while.
Who’s Kanye?
Who’s high pitch
This is Kelly Clarkson
this is jayz
Derek From Texas?
High pitch, give it up
No, this is Patrick.
Spongebob reference 😉 liked!
And very legal!
Because they try to put a good product on the field?
Who are the Stankees? How old are you? If over 10 I feel sorry for you.
Is that Eddy Stanky’s family? You spelled it wrong.
Cash loves Zach
Cash loves zach is an oxymoron because zach also loves cash. Also Brian Cashman loves Britton like theo loves kyle Schwarber. Britton wasnt gonna go anywhere.
Not an oxy moron but what you said makes sense lol.
you’re right I’m thinking of something else. I’m high as a kite. Cant think straight
You mean, “not an oxymoron, moron”.
You’re high on oxy? Moron!
I don’t do drugs. Just weed. Keeping trying to troll. You’re not very good at it.
Keep making those great decisions.
We all love Zach. Made my Friday!!
It’s Tuesday!
It’s Saturday…
Wow xabial it’s been a rough year
Since eveybody hates me; I’ll try to be useful,
Let me attempt to simplify the Zach Britton contract:
“Britton’s deal includes both a club option and potential player opt-out. The Yankees can exercise a fourth-year $15M option after 2020, making total value 4 years 53M
If the team chooses not to trigger the option, Britton can opt out of his deal, at which point, He’ll have 2 yrs 26M
Bonus: $1 million assignment bonus if traded
This is the 3rd time, I’ve seen unique (awesome) structure used. Hope it’s the future of contracts!!
Much better than just stupid plain (player opt out)
I believe this will be next JDM contract when he opts out, with a lot higher contract figure number.
A lot of Sox fans are in denial that he’s opting out. JDM is a sure bet to opt out, and IMO a sure bet to leave Boston after how he felt treated by the front office during the negotiation.
He got his ring, now he’ll go where he wants. Where that is IDK, but it won’t be Boston.
He makes good points here
He might opt out, but if he does it will be for the same reason they all do what they do: money. If he was so butt hurt about the way the Sox front office treated him he wouldn’t have signed in the first place. JDM and all of the other big name stars in baseball are motivated by money. If he can get more money by staying in Boston, he’ll stay in Boston. I’m actually amazed that there are still people who think that money doesn’t matter anymore when a player gets his championship. Money is king in baseball; everybody knows it, except, apparently, you.
xabial;
Damaged my phone trying to do the Mad fold-in.
The first sentence summed it up
Not everyone hates you Xab. Keep doing your thing as long as your priorities are in order. Same for the rest of us…
Your one of my favorite commenters on here. No hate from me.
He was butt hurt, but signed because of the money. And of course he will opt out for money, but IMO the market won’t dry up on him as is did last year. So,if that’s the case, he will leave unless the money is that far apart again. I just don’t see the market doing him twice like it did.
Besides, if he he opts out the Sux will need to sign other guys and may pass on him altogether to try and sign Mookie back.
Dwight Schrute thinks it’s Saturday.
They can use another lefty. Costly, but lefty.
Could have had Robertson and Justin Wilson for less money than what they’re paying Britton. Britton’s best seasons are far behind him. He wasn’t even that good in NY last year.
Actually he was great in September. He was coming back from injury early and he wasn’t himself but once September came around he was the old britton. He may never be 2016 Britton again but if he is the Britton of this past September going forward that’s more than good enough
Uhh, Britton had a 1.02era over his last 17outings and 17.2inn for the yanks. He’s a extreme ground ball pitcher, which is obviously huge in Yankee Stadium, and hes a lot younger then DRob. Obviously the yanks also banking on he’s completely healthy now , as his last couple months kinda indicates. His last fully healthy season before the injury was 2016, which he was historically good.
Looks like he’s rounding into similar form, and just as most expected, it took a bit coming back,but he was damn good the last 2months or so.
And as a huge DRob fan, he don’t match up to a younger and fully healthy Britton. Not to mention, Britton is better closing insurance if Chappy gets hurt then DRob as a closer. At least his time closing more recently while with chisox.
Absolutely correct. This is why Strike Four was clueless. He says things without knowing the facts. The proof is in the details
DRob left a lot to be desired last year…another way to put it was he left a lot of strikes hittable in addition to his signature wildness. He was lights out in 2017 and a shadow of that in 2018. I wish him the best of luck in Philly and am glad that Cash made the smart move in avoiding sentimentality in favor of Britton who has much more upside potential.
Extreme ground ball pitchers don’t want Andujar, Tulo and Torres behind them. Huge over pay for a setup guy.
Wrong melchez Britton was quoted as saying: “after being in Baltimore I decided this was where I want to be, and that I realized winning is more important than closing” so he obviously didn’t have an issue with the Yankee infield. Otherwise he would have accepted the angels equal offer since they have Andrelton Simmons at short. But he didn’t because winning meant more than infield defense
and the Devil is in the pudding…
DRob got $11 mil per, Britton is getting $13. SOOOOO you’re saying Justin Wilson will sign for less than 2 mil a year?
Agreed. Wish he would have avoided sentimentality with CC & Gardner earlier this offseason too though!
YESSSS!!!! Make this happen Cash!
the sooner these FA bullpen arms sign the quicker Farhan can trade Will Smith and Tony Watson.
Famed YouTuber Will Smith???
(satire)
“Oh, that’s hot, that’s hoottt”.
Awesome news, hope the deal gets completed. I hope they continue shopping for an additional reliever to keep the super bullpen for another year
Britton may not be the dominant closer type anymore, but he is still a viable RP who can come in the 7th inning and bridge to Dellin and Chap. He performed well for the Yanks last year. Here’s hoping he produces this year. Would have loved to ink DRob as well but that didnt happen.
I’ll go 3/40. All incentives. My Guess. 4/50
Keep waiting on Harper Theo. Great job
Yep, things getting on the northside.
Getting what?
lol getting ugly.
Ugly is light years ahead of the shape the White Sox are in!!
Lol if it’s getting ugly on the North Side, then what is it on the South Side? It’s way past ugly there.
What do you REALLY expect Theo to do, hold a gun to his head or a knife to his throat and say “sign with us or else “?
Offseason of hope continues.
Hopefully Tulo bounces back and stays healthy.
Hopefully Britton returns to the best reliever in the Al East.
Hopefully Gray will be who he was prior to being trade.
Hopefully the entire city will slide into the ocean and disappear, taking the Yankmes with it.
Wow, the other day I commented on another Forum a deal with this kind of opt in opt out scenario. Awesome to see it!
get Kimbrel too, while your at it. mainly it would stop the red sox from keeping their closer and there are reports that kimbrels market isnt that hot
Keep him. Kimbrel and Severino can battle it out for worst playoff pitcher.
Kimbrel has a World Series championship ring.
Doesn’t make you pitcher better regardless which finger you wear it on.
This signing just raised the price on Kimbrel.
And years.
Sevey wins hands down. He is like the 3 faces of Eve on that mound lately.
Is he still the Ace, omg. no
This move should start moving the market now. Whenever the Yankees do anything everyone follows… Don’t @ me
#greatmove
This isn’t Instagram
“tH!s iSnT iNsTaGrAm”
You’re cool
Can we snap each other cat pictures?
Another RP off the board while the Braves do nothing with by far the worst bullpen of all 2018 playoff teams.
Maybe you’ll get Kimbrel when his market drops instead of the Red Sux….
I hope this is true but the complete lack of interest to do anything since Donaldson was signed has me skeptical we’ll do anything else.
For what it’s worth we should have signed Grandal as well. Still time for AA to come out of his self induced coma and realize it’s still the offseason but little by little that window is closing.
Grandall refused 4/$60 from the Mets….no way in hell!
You gotta think the Braves will move on someone at some point. Look at it this way, you haven’t heard the Red Sux doing much sinch Eovaldi…and people are saying they are waiting on Kimbrel’s market to crumble.
Any team IN on him likely isn’t making much noise on him. And to be honest, after Happ and Corbin I didn’t like any FA starter. The Braves are better off hoping for Kimbrel to come to them and otherwise continue to develop the farm. Be patient……
i’m just glad that the AA doesn’t listen to any of us armchair GM’S!!! Get D. Rob, Britton, etc. Then when they don’t perform up to their contract and/or our expectations all the gripes start coming in like floodwater.
In shocked the braves are so cheap. Kimberly started with the braves and he’d be perfect for that young squad. They have a bunch of very good young cheap players and if it were me I’d sign Keuchel and Kimbrel but I guess ownership is tight with the green, liberty usually is right fisted
Yes let’s applaud the decision to do nothing to a bullpen that couldn’t figure it out last year and was terrible.
But sure, internally is the way to go again.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”
I applauded the Donaldson move as I thought it was a let’s help these kids with savvy veteran leadership move. But if all it turns out to be is a “let’s appease the fan base for one year move” then Liberty Media deserved Criticism. Hanigar and Britton or Kimbrel, would have been Two ideal moves to solidify this squad…
You don’t just won with rookies, they need guidance just like anyone else. They have wasted an opportunity.
The team arrived early, and the front office knows it. Would not shock me if they pulled a Minnesota ’18 type regression this year.
Funny, I am watching the piece on the Maddux, Gavine, Smoltz Braves in the 90’s and how that team completely underachieved. How the hell do you win one W.S. with 3 HOF starters in your rotation?
14 division titles, 1 WS….sad
Yankees got in their way. That team was built for the playoffs and they almost always won
Go Sox Nation for being patient.
It’s not patience, they’re being cheap on the pen. Can’t add much more with that payroll
it is patience….DD and even Theo taking same approach. waiting out the market. that’s patience.
plus Sox have to be cheap on the pen unless they find a way to trade out money.
One can argue they previously overspent for 2019 but with their payroll in place, cheap is not a word I would use. Each dollar spent today has bigger implications for tomorrow. For good or bad, their best move right now in my view is to trade Porcello. There are teams that will eat his contract for one year. Philly and Cincy come to.mind.
DD would rather diminish the farm rather to spend money. You saw what condition he left the Tigers in…just imagine how bad the Red Sux will be when DD cleans out that farm system and the team gets old.
It will be beautiful to watch the fans at that point…….
Matthew, do you really think the team is run by a voice of one? DD accomplished what he and management wanted. Who that was traded has to date shown star power other than Shaw? Still time but truth is he kept the players he wanted. My issue for the Shaw trade was that he overpayed by adding minor league talent for a reliever that had one good year. All other trades I’d make again. Farm was considered weak because of a perfect storm: big league promotions, trades and an inability to sign internationally. They can now sign internationally and some who leave for free agency will be offered one year money and thus get them extra picks albeit not as good as in the past. The game has changed to where you go for the diamond ring (not brass at that cost) when you can. Do you think Giants or Sox fan’s would give back thoae recent rings for a better farm today?
BVW gets praise from fellow Mets fans and the one thing we needed in that bullpen was a top end lefty reliever and what happens? Watch both Britton and Miller come off the board. Mets back to their moves of trying to find any cheap lefty they can on minor league deals.
I thought Miller was off the board?
So basically it will be either 2 yr/$26 million or 4 yr/$52 million. Not bad at all, he’s getting pretty much “closer-type” money. Plus this keeps him away from Boston, which is a big net. Look elsewhere Sox Nation
Agreed… Solid move by Cashman once again.
Or he sucks and it’s a 3/39 contract because neither the Yankees will exercise his 4th year or Britton opt out after two years
As a Sox fan, I look at this as a solid move. Britton showed enough signs at the end of last year that he was more like THE old Zach Britton than he was AN old Zach Britton.
Now all we need is one more reliever and the bullpen in set
That’s a lot of money for a non closer
You think Yanks have any money to spend? Ha
Besides the point, are they out on Harper and Machado now?
I actually think they are.
Also a lot of money for a 4.22 FIP from a RP last year.
Britton if healthy has huge upside. 2 years ago he was the best in baseball.
It’s not 2 years ago
No it’s not 2 years ago. But it took awhile after the hamstring and left forearm injuries to get back to his old self. It cost him most of 2017. Now with a full off-season healthy, he may return to his prior form especially not needing to close.
or next season!
You’re really hung up on that FIP, huh? You’ve only mentioned it 12 times in this thread.
Got anything else?
The structure of this deal is clearly designed so the Yanks FO can get out from the deal after 2 years if it all goes to hell. That works fine.
In a world where Mark Melancon got 4/$62M, this is fine.
Your wrong Cuso, 2 year opt out is a player option. It’s 3 years guaranteed unless Britton opt’s out after year 2. If Britton decides to stay for 3, Yankees have a club option to keep him on for a 4th year.
Ottavino might be next for Cashman, wish we had another starter too, or I really wish Montgomery was all healed. he is a good pitcher.
Monty will replace CC in the rotation after next season.
Sale, Cole, Bumgartner, and Verlander are free agents next year. Yanks will sign one of them.
Why not all of them
Cole is the only one worth it and the yankees have loved him since they tried to draft him, if he put up another monster year heck ya I hope the go for him.
The others fit into Yanks short term signing of late of starting pitchers. They all have been aces, which is what the Yanks look for when adding to their team. You could say that Sevy, Tanaka, Happ, Paxton, and CC were all aces of their teams at one time or another.
Thank God Matthew
He will be joking Elsbury on the DL by the end of April
Ugh joining
Once Robertson walked I knew Britton would be back, awesome !!!!!!
At that price, glad the Cards went with Miller.
Seems like an overpay for a guy who’s thrown about 80 innings over the past 2 seasons with declining results when healthy.
Got to love all these Yankee haters that trash every move they make. This is a guy who just a couple of years ago was the best clothes are in the game the odds of him returning to his former self is highly likely. What the Yankees have done is there a seventh, eighth and ninth innings will be covered by closers good luck LOL
Why is it highly likely?
I partially agree, but you have to have a lead in the seventh, eighth and ninth or it won’t make any difference. They Yankees have bigger areas of need than in the bullpen. I’m not saying Britton was a bad sign; it was a very good sign, but only if it doesn’t prevent the Yankees from fixing their biggest problems.
Yeah, they need to address their biggest problem, which is starting pitching. They should try to get some guys like Paxton or Happ. Cheap Hal would never go for that, though.
Cubs should be signing bp arms to backup that aging rotation. Theo sleep at the wheel?
No he’s waiting for pretty boy overrated Harper to sign
I hope not, but you have to wonder. They haven’t been connected to Ottavino at all, and he is the only one left worth anything for a contender. I was almost certain they would clear payroll for late inning help, but now…
Forgot about Kimbrel. but his asking price is insane
At this point maybe they can see what Justin Wilson wants to come back.
Bring him back for what? Batting practice? If a move doesn’t make you better, what’s the point?
What is Theo supposed to do, force him to sign w them?
Offer more
That is a big signing by the Yanks he looked like he was getting his stuff back that bullpen could be real tough.
Damn I wanted the Braves to get him. Another RP off the board. I don’t know what AA is doing but my patience is wearing thin. What trade options for RP is out there ? He gotta get somebody.
TJ McFarland, Will Smith, Hirano, Reyes Moronta, …
There’s tons of options. So I wouldn’t worry about it. The Braves are not gonna spend big on bullpen, but they have more than enough disposable prospects to get any of those guys. Hell, they have enough to get all four.
Woah, Jeff Passan of ESPN? Geeze, there goes the last relevancy Yahoo had other than being trivia as “that search engine we used before Google.”
Yahoo Finance is still the best. That’s all they got left.
This signing is making me wonder if Epstein IS trying to get Harper. If they weren’t trying to clear payroll for relief help, then why? The only real need they have to fill before spring training is late inning help. Either this is going to be the most lame Epstein involved off-season ever, or a ton of big moves are about to happen in the next couple of weeks. Some may even upset a lot of fans. I can live with them trading away most any person on the team except for Rizzo and Baez. I think they would be foolish to trade Schwarber at this point though. If he doesn’t bust out this season like they have been expecting, or struggles early then trade him, but not yet!
Still ottavino and Kimbrel but please not Kimbrel.
Kimbrel showed what he had left in the playoffs last year. The Red Sox won in spite of him, not because of him. Unless a team got Kimbrel at a bargain basement price, they’d be nuts to take him on.
I’d rather have Bryce Harper than any reliever in baseball. I get that teams need good bullpens, but there are many good relief pitchers available every year in MLB. A guy as good as Harper doesn’t come around too often.
The cubs are stuck with Chatwood, darvish and heyward. Zobrist is still a contributor so they won’t trade him either. No real payroll can be moved unless another team is stupid
Would of like to get DRob back. But the need was a lefty reliever. So welcome back to the Bronx Britton. Not sure y everyone is so down on him. It was a foot/lower leg injury that had him shelved. Don’t know of any recent arm problems.
Yes he did in baltimore.it was a forearm strain that cost him most of 2016
They just DFA’d AJ Cole so they will need to remove someone else from the 40 man to make room for Britton. I wonder who.
Boone
The Yankees can afford it. What most fans should realize by now, the one position you need in October is shut down relief. Good move by the Yankees.
Yankees need a lot of lockdown relievers bc they lack in starters. Teams like that do. The bullpen was a perceived weakness of the last 2 champs but they had good starters.
so, similar to arrieta’s contract structure? –three years guaranteed but the opt-out after the second. if the player exercises it, the team has the chance to override it and lock him in to two more guaranteed seasons… I think this is how it works? not 100% sure tho…
Don’t they already have Chapman as their main lefty?
Machado is probably next. One thing about the Yankees, there always looking to win it every yr. Great organization!!
Yes, and the Phillies?
Great signing. Good job Cash.
Kimbrel must be happy. Expected the Tanks to resign Britton but they were never in on Kimbrel. Since Britton got four years, Kimbrel will get offered at least that. More years than I’d pay for but someone now might. Now I see him getting Chapman money plus slighty more. Say Boston at 5 for $87m.
Britton didn’t get four years. He got three years.
And no, Boston is not giving a record contract to a reliever. They are at $240M payroll, with a depleted farm system and their core players soon to hit free agency. That’s not a position you climb your way out of by outspending everyone in the history of the game, on relief pitching.
Really hope the braves aren’t missing out on something we need. Slowly good relief pitching drops off the market day after day. Easily our #1 need in my opinion
I don’t know why anyone thinks the braves or Phillies will compete. They both suck. Braves won 90 which would get them nowhere in the AL and the Phillies were under 500. The whole NL sucks really. Why would any FA who really wants to win sign with either of these teams?
How insightful. You must be a NYY fan.
Well, that’s a nasty one-two punch. All I asked Santa for was the Sox to sign Britton and Robertson for the money Kimbrel was asking for. Now they’re both gone and Kimbrel’s left. Don’t want to see him with 15M/yr still on the books two winters from now when they have to start paying Mookie more than $30 million if they want to keep him. It’s going to get ugly fast.
reasonable deal for the Yanks. Wonder how competitive the Angels offer was as you figure he’d prefer closing, but more $ and winning in New York.
I guess there’s always that chance Aroldis opts out after next season.
I called 3/39 the other day after Robertson signed and was downvoted relentlessly. Also said Britton cared more about the $ than closing. Downvote this, chumps.
Ask and you shall receive…downvoted!!
Cole is the only one worth it and the yankees have loved him since they tried to draft him, if he put up another monster year heck ya I hope the go for him.
Great move by Cashin
Love the Britton signing for the Yankees. The Yankees top 4 relief arms: Chapman, Betances, Britton, Green give them the best bullpen in the ML’s. Add in Holder who was solid in 2018 and the bullpen is extremely strong.
Sox hitters feast on Yanks bullpen. Thank u Cashman……we do damage against Boston. Another starter would have helped. Sox repeat division title in ’19
Whose in your bullpen?
Very nice signing by Cashman. Yanks needed to fill a spot in bullpen. I doubt Cashman is done yet.
I can’t understand Braves fans expecting them to sign anyone to large contracts now that you can buy stock in the team. Anybody that knows anything about the stock market knows that investors invest to get paid. They are not going to just say spend all our money we don’t care. Those in control of the team must answer to those investors. They are now more of a business than any other team and must be run as such.
Braves fans expected more after their GM signed an injury prone 3B for $23-million when they already have a 3B! I don’t blame them for wanting a RF, another bullpen arm or two. But the organization does not want to rock the boat for 2020 and beyond. I understand what they are doing (stay the course, don’t sink the boat giving away gold to free agents).
I don’t follow the Yankees, but after they acquired Britton last season, how did Sanchez handle Britton’s sinker?
That’s what worries me most, The extreme movement on Britton’s pitches was somewhat hard for Sanchez to handle. I recall at least a couple passed balls with Gary behind the dish, and a couple more he had to fish out of the dirt. I’d feel more comfortable with Romine handling Britton
Awesome bullpen
Wont be able to get to them but awesome
Man, the difference between this contract and the contract of David Robertson – who is a far superior pitcher at this point – probably should give any player who is going to fire his agent and negotiate his own contract some second thoughts. Robertson basically screwed himself out of tens of millions of dollars.
Robertson is a far superior pitcher, FAR superior to Britton at this point?!? Huh?
Britton, who is 3 years younger, who looked a lot better than Robertson at the end of last year and still finished with a lower ERA than Robertson coming back from the injury? Who should only get better going forward as Robertson starts to slip? FAR superior? PFFFFFFFTT!
Britton has lots of injury concern. Injured pitchers tend to keep getting injured.
In the last three seasons Robertson has been worth about 4 wins and Britton less than two. Robertson was better than Britton last year by every metric. He left a lot of money on the table negotiating his own contract if this is what Britton got was the main thrust of my post – reliable, durable relievers who are also very good are pretty rare.
Well Britton did miss most of 2018 so of course his war is lower lol
Yankee haters will never admit that Britton was a good signing. I would have liked Robertson too, but between I’ll take Britton any day.
Robertson was terrible last year for anyone that watched him. Buy gave up big hit after big hit and was FAR from the guy he was down the stretch in ’17. In fact, Robertson has pitched to a >3 ERA 3 of the past 4 seasons.
Also, if you followed the team, Robertson started to have arm issues in the second half of the year (they shut him down a few times to memory), and seeing he is 33, it’ll be hard to believe he will be fine going forward.
Britton replaced Robertson after they traded for him, getting more of the big leverage situations.
What was Britton’s FIP again????
Yes; that’s the point. The games Britton misses with injury count, too. Injured pitchers tend to stay injured.
or next season!
Good move by the Yanks and it’s good for the Sox. Kimbrel’s price has to being coming down. I don’t want Kimbrel back, but apparently they do. I just hope it’s not for insane money. This is a lot of $ for a non closer.
Not too much for non-closer. We’re past the point of undervaluing the set-up role.
Ken Rosenthal predicted in his latest article that Kimbrel would likely head to an NL East team. Outside of the Mets, none of those teams have a very competitive bullpen. Either he goes to the Braves, or to the Phillies for a tandem with Dave Robertson
Of course. I predicted Britton to PHI and Robertson to NYY and figured that was likely to happen…