Yankees Acquire Lefty Reliever Zach Britton In Trade With Orioles
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- One of the Yankees' strengths is getting a whole lot stronger.
The Bronx Bombers have completed a deal with the Baltimore Orioles to acquire lefty relief pitcher Zach Britton. In return, the Yankees are sending Double-A starter Dillon Tate and Triple-A pitchers Josh Rodgers and Cody Carroll to Baltimore.
The 8-year-pro is recently back after missing 2 and a half months following surgery on his right Achilles tendon. In 2018 he's posted a 3.45 earned run average to go along with four saves and 13 strikeouts through 15 and a third innings pitched.
In 2016, Britton was exceptional. He was 2-1 with a 0.54 ERA and 47 saves in 47 chances. He converted an AL-record 60 consecutive save opportunities from Oct. 1, 2015, to last Aug. 21. Over his eight-year career, all with the Orioles, Britton is 30-22 with a 3.22 ERA and 139 saves.
Britton signed a 1-year deal with the Orioles for $12 million before the start of the 2018 season and is slated to become a free agent at the end of the year. If the trade is completed, he'll join an already dominant Yankees bullpen led by flame throwing closer Aroldis Chapman.
"I think he's one of the best relievers in the game," Chapman said Tuesday night through a translator following the team's 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. "Having the opportunity to add somebody like that with so much talent would be very helpful."
Baltimore is in full-scale sell mode as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. The last-place Orioles traded All-Star shortstop Manny Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week and are seeking buyers for center fielder Adam Jones and reliever Brad Brach, both eligible for free agency after the World Series.
Tate, 24, was selected by Texas with the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft and was traded to the Yankees the following year in the deal that brought Carlos Beltran to the Rangers. Tate is 5-2 with a 3.37 ERA in 15 starts this season for Double-A Trenton of the Eastern League, striking out 75 and walking 25 in 82 2/3 innings.
Rogers, also 24, is 6-8 with a 3.95 ERA this year for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was an 11th-round selection three years ago.
Carroll, 25, is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 32 appearances for the RailRiders, striking out 55 and walking 18 in 41 2/3 innings. Carroll was a 25th-round pick in 2015.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
