Former New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a two-year, $12 million deal this past week. They’re expected to utilize him as their primary closer, despite not having closed in his career.
New York Yankees lose out on one, can they secure another?
The Yankees losing out on Robertson might seem troublesome currently, but they have two more quality opportunities to sign another relief pitcher this offseason. Both Adamon Ottavino and Zach Britton remain available, with the latter being the more attractive.
The Phillies were publicly interested in Britton but grabbed Robertson for his potential and usage. Britton has been in discussions with the Bombers recently and is expected to be retained. With rumors of superstar Manny Machado coming to New York bubbling to the surface, Britton’s discussions with the Yankees have quieted.
Zach’s agent, Scott Boras, has held-out on a deal in search of a four-year agreement. It’s unlikely the Yankees offer a deal including more than two-years for a receiver. While Britton was fantastic and considered one of the league’s premier relievers up until 2016, the last two years has been less successful.
The lefty has only pitched in 78 pitches in the past two seasons. He’s boasted a solid 3.00 ERA in that time from but has diminished in strikeout and walk rate — 7.3 K/9, 4.5 BB/9). His statistics taking a dip might have been a result of an Achilles injury he was recovering from.
Despite his diminished statistics, Britton is a solid options coming out of the bullpen. The question is: Is he worth a four-year multi-million dollar deal?