Yankees acquire lefty reliever Zach Britton in trade with Orioles

 

Brian Cashman just made his big midseason splash.

The Yankees acquired left-handed reliever Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospects Dillon Tate, Josh Rogers, and Cody Carroll, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Both teams confirmed the deal late Tuesday night.

Following the San Diego Padres’ trade of lefty Brad Hand on July 19, the 30-year-old Britton emerged as the top reliever on the trade market.  And his departure from Baltimore (28-73) was inevitable, as the club is in the midst of selling off its uncontrollable assets in an attempt to rebuild. 

According to Spotrac.com, Britton is making $12 million this season, and he’s still owed roughly $4.4 million of that sum through season’s end.  Britton will become a free agent this upcoming winter.

Britton missed three-quarters of the 2017 season and the first two months of this season due to a rupture of his right Achilles tendon.  Prior to his injury, Britton was virtually unhittable as the Orioles’ closer.  In 2016, the two-time All-Star posted a stunning career-low 0.54 ERA in 67 innings and recorded a career-high 47 saves. 

Since mid-June, Britton has recorded four saves and owns a 3.45 ERA in 15.2 innings (16 games). 

Tate, a 24-year-old righty who was ranked the Yankees’ No. 9 prospect by MLBPipeline, was scratched from his start with Double-A Trenton on Tuesday.  In 15 starts this season, Tate is 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 82.2 innings.  This is the second time Tate has been dealt at the trade deadline, as he was the main piece in a package that the Texas Rangers sent New York in a swap for Carlos Beltran back in 2016.

Carroll, the Yankees’ No. 15 prospect, has pitched in 32 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.  In 41.2 innings, the 25-year-old righty owns a 2.38 ERA and a .184 BAA. 

Rogers, the third and final piece in the trade, is 6-8 with a 3.95 ERA in 19 Triple-A starts this year.  The 24-year-old southpaw was drafted by the Yankees in the 11th round of the 2015 draft.

Although the Yankees are still in search of a starting pitcher to acquire ahead of the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, Britton bolsters an area of strength for the Yankees — their bullpen.  Relievers Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Chad Green, and David Robertson entered Tuesday with a 3.05 ERA or better and at least 40 innings thrown apiece.  As a unit, New York’s bullpen leads the majors in strikeouts (448), opponents batting average (.199), and ERA (2.75).