3:50 pm: Britton will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip in his left elbow in the next couple of days, per the team (via Twitter). Britton is expected to be shut down completely for six weeks, and he’s not likely to be back for another 3-4 months, per Andy Martino of the SNY Network (via Twitter). Justin Wilson’s presence in the bullpen will become all the more important for the Yankees in the first half.
8:38 am: The Yankees sent left-hander Zack Britton for an MRI yesterday after he experienced some discomfort in his left elbow following a bullpen session, manager Aaron Boone revealed to reporters this morning (Twitter link via ESPN’s Marly Rivera). Britton completed his throwing session as normal, but he began experiencing soreness in his elbow later in the day and was sent for imaging. Results are expected today.
Boone declined to speculate on a timeline, merely acknowledging that given the uncertainty, it’s of course possible that Britton won’t be ready for Opening Day. He did indicate that the issue is not believed to be related to Britton’s ulnar collateral ligament at this point (via James Wagner of the New York Times). Boone also noted that Britton was set back in his preparation for camp after contracting Covid-19 within the past couple of months. Britton himself recently told the New York Post’s Dan Martin about that matter, stating that the virus “hit me pretty good” in late January and caused him to lose a substantial amount of weight. The left-hander has not yet appeared in a Spring Training game.
Britton, 33, was outstanding for the Yankees in 2020, holding opponents to just four earned runs on a dozen hits and seven walks with 16 strikeouts through 19 innings of relief. His power sinker again resulted in an elite ground-ball rate (71.7 percent), as has become routine for the two-time All-Star. He went on to allow a pair of runs in 5 1/3 postseason frames.
That performance led the Yankees to exercise a $13MM club option over Britton for the 2022 season at the end of the 2020 campaign. Under the structure of his three-year deal, which covers the 2019-21 seasons, the Yankees had to either pick up that 2022 option a year early or risk Britton opting out of the contract’s third guaranteed year (2021). He’s now locked in as a Yankee through the end of his age-34 season.
Whether Britton is forced to miss time or not, the Yankees still project to have a strong bullpen in 2021. New York traded Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox a couple months back but reallocated much of the cost savings from that deal to low-cost signings of Darren O’Day and Justin Wilson. That pair of veterans will join Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green and ideally, Britton, in forming a strong veteran group to anchor the relief corps.
Luis Cessa, Jonathan Loaisiga, Brooks Kriske and Nick Nelson are among the other bullpen candidates on the 40-man roster, and the Yankees also brought in veterans Kyle Barraclough, Adam Warren, Tyler Lyons and Nick Goody on minor league pacts. Of course, selecting the contract of any of those non-roster veterans would come with some luxury-tax implications. The Yankees have ardently worked to remain south of the $210MM threshold and currently sit an estimated $3.5MM shy of that point, per Roster Resource’s Jason Martinez.
So the Yankee Injuries begin…
Blooming azaleas and Yankee injuries…spring is nearly upon us.
Here we go again….Yankee fans hold on for dear life
Ugh
still think the brewers and yanks line up well on a potential Hader trade. Makes sense too. Yankees have an abundance of young promising hitters the brewers could surely use.
If the Yanks say screw it we’re going over the lux tax, they might make a whole bunch of moves really quickly.
Pretty sure the Brewers are looking to compete for the division after signing Bradley
Lol. If last seasons Yelich shows third place. JBJ is a special player in Boras eyes only. Even though I like JBJ as a decent roster filler it made little sense. The man he moves to the bench- Garcia or Cane can perform just as well. Spend the money on a starter. I’d move Hader too. Another Chris Sale elbow waiting to happen.
Never rely on old pitchers. You might get lucky for a while and some of them seem to be indestructible, but generally it leaves you scrambling.
Thoughts and prayers.
Would love Hader but not trading Dominguez. Who else do they Brewers want they don’t need outfield help after getting JBJ. They don’t want Andujar. So how’s is that a match.
Agreed, the Yankee can’t get held up given the Britton situation which may be nothing more than rest….don’t panic now!
Besides, wait until camp cuts and then see what might be available…..time for the Yankees to push some of these younger arms into the bullpen and let them pitch in the bridge to Chappy…also, let Chapman earn that contract and stop babying him.
Dark horse candidate…..Robertson!
Have the Yankees overhauled any of their trainers or medical team in the last few years?
As a Pirates fan, I was happy to hear the Bucs saw last season as the final straw and made changes in personnel responsible for players’ fitness for this season.
Surely NYY management see that there’s been a HUGE problem for them injury wise with players old and young recently?
It’s not the trainers. 33 year old very hard throwing pitchers with lots of mileage on the arm … yeah, it’s not the trainer.
Agreed with regard to Britton, but the Yankees seem to have had an injury crisis from top to bottom of the org over the last few years (since Jeter, ARod, etc.)
Yankees revamped their training staff last year. I’ll reserve judgement on how well it’ll work out a little bit longer.
That’s a fair point.
Good to see Mariano Rivera moving on to a new career as a writer/reporter for ESPN under his new pen name Marly Rivera.
On a more serious note, Cashman has his work cut out for him if they truly want to stay below the CBT line this year. What you see is what you get with this team unless they are willing to trade a core piece during the season.
I’m hoping somehow Warren makes the team and with lack on money now with Gardy back Robertson is definitely not coming back.
@mlbnyyfan- why wouldn’t Robertson come back with Gardy re-signed. Is $3 million too little for Robbie? If Britton is really hurt maybe the Yankees should take a look at Shane Greene? Hopefully Britton is okay. We’ll see.
I’m no doctor but the fact that he felt something awhile after throwing makes me think it’s nothing serious…more like a tendinitis thing.
This is a huge loss if Britton is out an extended period of time, Chapman is so hit and miss I no longer trust him in the playoffs.
Aww, man.
I’m generally a pretty optimistic fan. But…man, I’m a little gun shy about the Yankees & injuries.
This would really suck. Hoping some rest’ll take care of it. We’ve had just terrible luck with injury stuff though lately, man.
What’s up Ducky?!?!? It’s Reilly from RAB
This would be a tough one to swallow. Honestly I think Britton was the most important piece in the pen. But the Yanks do always seem to find hidden gems or have another RP in the waiting in the minors. Hopefully it’s nothing serious but if it is I still have faith in this pen.
Reilly!
Damn, what’s up, fella? Great to see you around here.
Are you posting somewhere else?
Yeah, man. Britton would be a huge loss. We’ll weather it, of course. But it’s certainly less than ideal. Another run of injuries like we’ve had the past couple years would be…disheartening.
Nah I’ve been out of the game since RAB. I wonder how many of our old RAB alumni are actually here.
There’s a few.
Lordd99 is. Don’t know what name he used but you can tell by his style & insights. (& he told me too, lol.)
Our old “WAR time consieglire” is here: same mad man as he was. Love that dude.
I’m forgetting a couple others. But I’ve been outed as being a former RABble rouser a few times. The Underground kinda fizzled. Then I was looking for them last summer, found them, but they’d gone to a slack format – which I loathe.
I have a link somewhere. I keep meaning to drop by & say hi to them. That’s a good crew.
But – yeah, man – we’re here.
I was called a fool when I told you guys the Yankees would be battling the Red Sox for 3rd in the AL East. The bullpen was the only thing the Yankees had that didn’t have question marks. No Zach Britton? Ouch! They couldn’t make it through 60 games last year without being savaged by injuries. Already limping through spring training. How is this team gonna make it through 162? Exactly! They Won’t!
I guess Great Britton is moving ahead with Breaks It.
I guess no one saw enough in Robertson on his showcase, or he would have been signed by now. Britton would be a huge loss
OT. Dominguez will be a “bust” in baseball. I’m not saying he’ll suck. But Yankees fans think he’ll be the best player in baseball. I doubt that. Size doesn’t always make you the best. It’s hard to be elite in baseball and he is only in his teens. I’d laugh so much when he is a 260 hitter with a 800 ops. Even if those are good numbers.Yankees fans will be mad. LOL.
@MetsFan22- shouldn’t you be worrying about trying to sign Lindor? Since nobody really wants to sign with your minor league team in NY. Why are you worrying about a Yankee prospect who is 2 or more years away from reaching the majors? Stick with your own team who nobody cares for or wants to play for. LOL
Once again going off topic. Well both of you did, but you always make it about the other team not yours. Worry about Aaron Judge hitting plus 30. The dud hasn’t done it since his ROTY. My point is focus on your team.
@Luc- Yankee fans always worry about their favorite team. As you can see they are not panicking about Britton. Don’t really see why your so concerned? Smh
How was I concerned about Britton? I made a joke about the injuries then you attacked me lol
Lol
Man, injuries are a really touchy subject with Yankee fans. There’s ostensibly a good reason for that.
Luc –
The kid obviously has a problem. Just ignore his comments
Yank4Life-i don’t think the Mets would have traded the players they did if they didn’t think there would be a chance to sign him to an extension. I’m confident the Mets will sign Lindor. I’m also confident that it will be for less than $360 million dollars you claim they will have to pay. If they don’t resign him. There will be plenty of options when free agency comes around.
I find it funny, players take less money to sign with the Yankees and the Mets have to offer more money to players who don’t want to sign with them and go elsewhere. Anyone notice that? No big Met signing of Springer, Bauer, Realmuto, and DJ. Look for that trend to continue. The Mets will ALWAYS be 2nd fiddle to the Yankees.
uh oh
This may be a brutal year for pitchers. Partial season last year, shortened spring training, fewer joint workouts due to COVID, beware.
Hopefully it’s nothing too serious he is one of the best relievers in baseball and definitely a huge part of the Yanks success. But this pen is still pretty deep…. Chapman, Wilson and Green would still be a solid bullpen trio with plenty of other arms to back them up. Also German could be a shutdown reliever if he isn’t in the rotation and Sevy is coming back later in the year and I highly suspect he’ll be in the pen.
Back, back, back, etc. It’s gone and there went the Yankees season
It’s an elbow, but I see what you’re trying to do.
Who’s gonna shoulder the blame?
Fingers will be pointed, I’m sure..
Undergoing MRI for a pitcher is like the equivalent to the Xbox 360 red ring of death
Lol not everyone will get this but I definitely do.
Thinking back to it I can’t even remember a time when a pitcher came out okay after an MRI. If the MRI doesn’t find anything then it’s TJS a year later.
I’ve never understood why the CBA doesn’t involve some kind of allowance for replacing, say, a season ending injury, or maybe something that is at least 30 days and not have it count against the CBT tax threshold. It’s counterintuitive in a lot of ways that are bad for the teams as well–if they have to stay cheap, they bring someone up and start their service clock rather than trade. I’m not suggesting trading for a $10M AAV with an exemption, but some more modest amount that reflects reality.
i think because it was originally built into the cap for it as what maybe the yankees and red sox were only ones hitting it. Also the team itself usually have insurance and gets back good portions of salary if they gone over half the season or something like that.
That pair of veterans will join Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green and ideally, Britton, in forming a strong veteran group to anchor the relief corpse.
Everybody knows the White Sox have the best bullpen in baseball. If you take Britton out of the mix ….. The Yankee pen is middle of the road at best. Chapman is starting to look shaky.
You’ve a very interesting (read: incorrect) definition of “everybody”, @berry.
Are you asserting that Fangraphs, Pecota, etc are then “nobody”, uh? Because a modicum of research will show you that the Yankees ‘pen is projected for 13+ fWAR.
Which is – actually – be the best in baseball.
I hope you find this information helpful. You see, when you post foolish things you will be justifiably labeled a “fool”.
No offense, but projections are just that–projections. Injuries, among other things, derail them (not to mention it is a subjective statistic). I am certainly not in agreement w another delusional white sox fan (sorry for the repetition), but I hope yr expectations are based on more than educated guesses.
Funny, the Rays’ pen is never talked about…yet always kicks a**.
@Ducky I am not worried about those foolish projections!!! How many of those “projections” had the White Sox, Marlins or Padres in the Playoffs last year?????? Especially that Pecota nonsense!! Pecota is garbage!!! Garbage!!! You call me a fool and the best you can counter with is projections???????
Pecota is consistently accurate so I wouldn’t shoe that aside. Remember a couple years back when Pecota predicted the Cubs decline and everybody said how it was nonsense?
Also, you’re dismissing those projections but we are supposed to trust your projections?
I was using projections (which are a quick & dirty research tool). Merely as a refutation of “everybody knows”. Which served perfectly for that situation.
I’m not really sorry if an actual fact bothers you so much. That – however – is your problem, @very berry – not mine.
🙂
Which – incidentally – =\= “something I think”. You can belittle what actual baseball experts have come to agree with. Go ahead. This is not – however – “evidence” that your claim is – indeed – worth the time it takes one to read it.
To be clear, what “everybody” actually (besides our dear, little @berry) knows is that the sox have an above average bullpen.
Hey, it’s great you’re excited about your club. As a Yankee fan preparing for our 24th(!) playoff year in the last 27 seasons I am very used to fans of recently rebuilt/improved teams lauding their squad’s “theoretical success”.
It’s – quite frankly – dullsville. Happens every year. A real yawner, man. If you look at my responses to you you could use them as an example of how one deals with this…exuberance. You can probably tell I’ve done this a time or two.
But still.
Foolish take is foolish take, @berry.
Unbelievable the amount of injuries the Yankees suffer and always big ones.
Didn’t the Yankees changed the medical staff?
From what I’m seeing the Yankees aren’t worried about his UCL. But: they do question whether he’ll be ready by opening day.
Not exactly what we were hoping for.
Seems like it’ll be fairly easy to navigate, however.
Also, I wanted Cash to sign Greene before this.
The Pirates are overrated
Huge blow to the Yankees bullpen if Britton misses any significant time
This will depend on the rotation. If the rotation is good and can eat up innings than it won’t be as bad. Not to mention the O’s and the Sox aren’t as good so there shouldn’t be too much resistance. I’m also not buying the Rays being as good as well.
It would be very difficult to imagine Kluber and Taillon eating many innings early in the season.
I guess a bone chip(s) is not that bad. Loss of time but that may make him fresher for the postseason. Also, how do you get a bone chip from throwing a ball?
Better now and have him back hopefully June timeframe than losing him for the rest of year
Mr. Britton, would you like to buy a vowel or two?
Dr. J_m_s _ ndr_ws.
This news sucks as a Yankees’ fan, but as far as elbow issues go it could be worse. It looks like he’ll make a return around the All-Star Break, which I always try to see as similar to acquiring a big trade piece down the stretch. Losing Britton for 3-4 months is not ideal, but the Yankees have a lot of BP depth. Maybe that guy Lucas Luetge has a legitimate shot at making the roster now? He’s been pretty stellar so far in ST.
@Darkside- thanks for such encouraging words. I feel much better now. Lol
@Darkside @DuckyBucky @Yank4Life @Cey Hey ALL you guys need to ease up on drinking the White Claws man. I swear White Claws are ruining society. The White Claws are starting to impact you guys and your grip on reality. Disproportionate numbers of Yankee fans getting their “Man Card” pulled due to their online and offline antics while consuming White Claws. Ease Off The White Claws boys!
Yankees fan? Me?
Lol…I don’t even know what a “White claw” is @berry.
& @Cey Hey. Knew there was a reason I liked you. Welcome aboard! Go Yanks! Right?
(blinkblink)
Edit: & how could I forget to mention I’m excited to welcome @DarkSide830 to his new found Yankee fandom, as well.
What a day!
We converted two of ’em fellas.
@hockeyjohn & @whyhazee you fellas are next.
Due to my parents moving east when I was little, I have been to (the old) Yankee Stadium way more than I’ve been to Dodger Stadium. My first big-league game was at Yankee Stadium.
My grandfather had season tickets to the Yanks & Giants. I grew up going to The Stadium.
But I’ve not actually been to the new park. & – to be 100 – I’ve little interest in actually doing so.
I only go back to The City for funerals & leave as quickly as I’m able to.
June 11, 1967. Age 9. Cub Scouts field trip for a Bat Day doubleheader against the White Sox. Yankees lost both games, I got a Louisville Slugger with Joe Pepitone’s signature. After we got through the turnstiles, my dad took me aside and showed me how to swing it. Instant love. I had never considered baseball at all until that day. Dropped Disney for baseball and never looked back, choosing my hometown Dodgers as my favorite team.
I might have told you before that I didn’t make it to Dodger Stadium until August 2018 — at age 60. I was never into flying. At the time, I thought I would attend one homestand a year until I die, but the truth is I might be done after that one trip. Maybe even all live games. I’ve seen the Dodgers when they come to Philly. My most recent MLB game was a Phils-Giants game in August 2019. It was the result of free tickets we got after a Phils-Dodgers game had a three-hour rain delay. At the Phils-Giants game, we went home after the second inning. My non-baseball fan wife was with me and I felt sorry for her. Truthfully, I might be done going to games. It just doesn’t have the same allure as it once did. I still love following the sport, but I see things differently since the pandemic. I enjoy “this” life now more than going to events.
Great that you still have that Mantle. I got a Yogi Berra one at Mets Bat Day in ’68. The kid behind me got a Kevin Collins and kept bugging me to trade my Yogi. The Mets lost both games to the Phillies that day. The great Dick (then Richie) Allen hit a pair of moonshots off Al Jackson and Danny Frisella to straight-away center and left-center. .The one he hit off Frisella might still be traveling.
Lol
“Bat day”. Man. See, I started going to The Stadium in the 70’s. Bat day became…misused. If you will.
I was there for Chambliss off Littel. My mother was pissed that my grandfather took me. Holy smokes. Just blasted him! But if that won’t forge a life long fan…well, you must’ve been dead to begin with.
I’ll always catch the Yanks & Jints when they’re in town no matter where I live. I’ve lived a few places & that’s a hard & fast rule (barring pandemics).
I’ve seen a lot of people kind of “rediscover” life this year. Personally, I’m a huge sportsman. So I was social distancing long before it was cool, man.
I need to be around people for work. & I love my son completely.
But I’m happiest in the company of my dog & no one else.
Ducky Buckin Fent
But I’ve not actually been to the new park.
============================================================
Dude, you gotta go. I absolutely understand the history of the old stadium, but the facility was an absolute dive. The new joint lacks a little of the atmosphere, but it is a magnificent building.
Imagine not missing an entire inning standing on line for popcorn. Or missing two innings for having the audacity of wanting a beer. Or having to squeeze between a patron and the wall, because there was always 30 people on every line.
The line for Beck’s/Guinness is usually maybe 3 people. 24 oz for $12, and the beef nachos for another $7-8. I hate the Yankees with an undiminished passion, but the stadium experience is awesome.
The heart felt angst in your report was obvious. I appreciate that, @Brady. That had to be tough. & it should have worked.
It’s more about NYC than the ballpark, though. I can’t impress upon you enough how thoroughly native I have gone out here in the Midwest.
Bro. I have pontoon boats & kayaks for waterfowl hunting & fly fishing. I have a damn sailboat for the Great Lakes. A hunting shack not far from the Canadian border.
If I want to feel cosmopolitan I live 5 minutes from one quaint downtown (Minneapolis) 20 from another (St Paul).
I was back in The City a few years ago for my father’s funeral. I could not wait to get the hell out of there. Loved growing up in the BX. But being there now feels like a punishment.
This really hurts, but if there’s any bullpen than can survive half a season without Britton, it’s ours. Cashman signed Wilson and O’Day and we’ve got Nick Nelson and Domingo German ready to step into bullpen roles (I’m putting Garcia in the starting five). The Yankees know how to stockpile bullpen help.
AL East = Rays and Jays – Yankees are done! Britton will be out until July or August and at his age???????? Bullpen was their only hope and now they lose arguably their top bullpen guy. Chapman is now very, very shaky. I was hoping my White Sox were going to get a chance to bang the Yankees around in the Playoffs ….. I think everybody not a Yankee fan already see’s the writing on the wall. ESPN is gonna get to hype the Yankees and Red Sox battle for 3rd in the AL East.
@Very Barry- keep being delusional and all your dreams will come true. Your the only one that feels this way. We will not hear from you by mid-May when the Yankees are up in lst place by 10 games. So keep acting like a fool.
I would love to see the Yankees pull out the AL East …. We both know it ain’t gonna happen. I would much rather see the White Sox smash the Yankees instead of smashing the Wild Card team ahead of smashing the Rays/Angels winner. World Series will be competitive but we will send Atlanta home without a ring yet again. Yes, I said Atlanta. Would love to see the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and his left-handed a$$ will have no shot and would love to shut Bauer up.
Very Barry:
15.
Are you younger or older than that number? Be honest because money is riding on your answer.
Under.
$100.
I guess we both win. It’s 10 pm and he can’t answer because it’s bedtime. Under it is.
Yank4Life-At this point winning the division isn’t enough. With the money they spend and expectations they have. Anything less than the World Series is a disappointment.
@Metsfan42632- your absolutely right. So tired of being disappointed. If the Yankees don’t finally get to a World Series I will be crushed. So glad they stayed under the luxury tax though, last thing we need is a salary cap in baseball. I got no problem with the Mets slightly going over. Their getting really close, no reason why they can’t catch the Braves this season. They should go for it.
Yank4Life
Up by 10 games by the end of May- now that is the funniest thing you have said in ages. Let’s revisit your comment on May 31st- hope you like to eat crow.
karma
Injury bug in back. When are the Yankees going to investigated their health & conditioning staff? Or do they know this is life in fielding a team that only consists of veterans?
An injury to any baseball player is a tragedy. But when it happens to a big spending team like the Yankees, i have sympathy for the player but not the team.