Bryan Cashman and the New York Yankees front office yesterday made their first move ahead of this season’s trade deadline on July 31.
The Yankees acquired veteran relief pitcher Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for three pitching prospects: Double-A right-handed pitcher Dillon Tate, and Triple-A pitchers Cody Carroll, 25, and left-handed starter Josh Rogers, 24.
The 30-year-old Britton has been one of the most dominant relievers in major league baseball since 2013, amassing 139 saves (second most in the American League in that span) an ERA of 2.15, a WHIP of 1.12 and averaging 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
In 2016 the left-handed Britton had an especially amazing year as he posted an ERA of 0.54 in 67 innings pitched, notching 47 saves and a fourth-place finish in Cy Young voting.
Britton ruptured his Achilles tendon over the winter but returned to action on June 12. After shaking off the rust, Britton returned to form not allowing a run in his previous eight appearances. The left-hander has struck out 13 batters and earned four saves while amassing a 3.45 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 15.2 innings of work.
The best news for the Yankees is that his sinker, which is almost impossible to elevate, is back to silencing bats.
This is the first in-season trade between the two A.L East rivals since July 20, 1989, when the Orioles acquired outfielder Stan Jefferson from the Yankees for pitcher John Habyan.
Britton will help fortify the Yankees solid bullpen, which has arguably been the most dominant in all of baseball.
This is the second big trade by the rebuilding Orioles ahead of the trade deadline as last Wednesday the traded away third baseman Manny Machado to the Los Angeles for a five-player package that included promising prospect Yusniel Diaz, a 21-year-old Cuban outfielder.
