New York Yankees Player Profiles: Zack Britton will take on an even more important role (video)

The New York Yankees Zack Britton will take on a new role with the Yankees, at least at the beginning of the season as Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman has tested positive for the coronavirus.  Yankee manager Aaron Boone has stated that Chapman will not be available to the Yankees for the foreseeable future.

Zack Britton, the youngest of three brothers, was raised in Santa Clarita, California.  His maternal grandparents and mother are of Dominican origin, and his father is of German-Irish ancestry. Britton does not speak Spanish. As a freshman, he attended Canyon High School where he played baseball. During practice with that team, he crashed headfirst into a concrete wall attempting to catch a foul popup. He got a fractured skull and clavicle.  He spent two days in intensive care due to bleeding in the brain.

He and his family moved to Texas, and Britton transferred to Weatherford High School.  While there he pitched and was an all-state outfielder for the baseball team. Upon graduating he was offered an athletic scholarship to Texas A&M University. He skipped college when the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the third round of the 2006 baseball draft.

Britton spent 2007 through the 2010 season in the minor leagues of the Orioles organization.  When 2011 came around he again found himself in the minor leagues, this time with the Norfolk Tides.  But just five days into the season he was called up to the majors to replace the injured Oriole’s pitcher Brian Matusz.  Britton finished his rookie campaign, appearing in 28 games (all starts), pitching to a 4.61 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and an 11-11 record. In the interleague play, he also proved his hitting ability.  In eight at-bats, he had five hits, leading all American League pitchers for the 2011 season.

Britton’s 2012 season was derailed by a right shoulder impingement that he never really fully recovered from, pitching to a disappointing 5.07 ERA.  2013 was better, and he made the 2014 opening day roster. In 2015 he signed a new deal with the Orioles and made his first All-Star game. 2015 also saw Britton become the Orioles closer.  He converted 36 or 40 save possibilities with an ERA of 1.72 while being 3rd in save in the American League.

In 2016 he signed another new contract and recorded 33 consecutive saves by August 3, setting an MLB record for most consecutive saves to start a season by a left-handed pitcher. Britton pitched in 69 games, throwing 67 innings while allowing only four earned runs for a 0.54 ERA. This broke the MLB record for the lowest single-season ERA by a pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched.

In 2017 he became just the fifth pitcher in MLB history to convert at least 50 consecutive save opportunities. Unfortunately, 2018 didn’t start well for Zack, he signed his biggest deal with the Orioles, but he was placed on the 60-day disabled list to begin the season, as he recuperated from the ruptured Achilles tendon injury.  He recorded his first save of the season on June 23rd.

Zack Britton becomes a New York Yankee

On July 24, 2018, the Orioles traded Britton to the New York Yankees in exchange for Dillion Tate, Cody Carroll, and Josh Rogers. Britton went on to post a 2.88 ERA in 25 appearances for the Yankees in the 2018 season. His 1.86 ERA from 2016 to 2018 was the lowest in major league baseball of all pitchers with 100 or more innings pitched. Britton thrived in his new role as a late-game reliever. Britton signed a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year with the Yankees on January 11, 2019

Britton would appear in 66 games for 61 innings, often the lefty was used to get just one important out.  He finished the season recording three saves and had an excellent ERA of 1.91 and a 3-1 record. In the 2018 and 2019 postseasons for the New York Yankees, he pitched in 12 innings while allowing just four runs. He also fields his position well with a .965 fielding percentage.

In the shortened 2020 season, at least at the start of the season, Zack Britton will return to his old role and will become the Yankees closer. Just two days ago Yankee Closer Aroldis Chapman tested positive for the coronavirus.  Before he can return to the team, he will have to self-quarantine for two weeks and then test negative twice, 2 days apart.  Many people after recovering from the virus remain weak for weeks, which is most likely why manager Aaron Boone used the phrase: “He will be out for the foreseeable future.”

During the summer of 2019, Zack Britton bought himself an Edgertronic camera. Here is why this should excite you.

“The Yankees have high-speed cameras at the Stadium. I’ve noticed differences with both my breaking ball and my sinker. I can see where my hand position is when I throw a good pitch. Rather than just feeling my way through an adjustment, I can get instant feedback on the adjustments I need to make.”

The New York Yankees organization and Yankee fans can expect even more improvements in Britton’s pitching in this shortened season.  Upon the news of Chapman’s positive virus test manager Aaron Boone had to choose between Adam Ottavino and Zack Britton, both have similar numbers, but Boone chooses Britton as he has the closing experience. Boone had this to say:

“Britton has been an elite closer in this game for a long time, and he’s still a great pitcher, so he naturally could fill that role,” the Yankees skipper observed. “It’s easy to put him in that, but with our team and with our bullpen and our pitchers, we feel confident in a lot of guys. Britt would be a natural guy if Chappy wasn’t back at that point.”

Below is a recent Zoom interview with Zack Britton.

EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.  Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam