Headlines

  • Orioles To Decline Five-Year Lease Extension At Camden Yards, Seeking Longer-Term Agreement With Maryland Stadium Authority
  • Mariners, Dylan Moore Agree to Three-Year Extension
  • Blue Jays Sign Chad Green
  • Rays Extend Yandy Diaz
  • Dexter Fowler Announces Retirement
  • Mets Sign Jeff McNeil To Four-Year Extension
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Matusz Injury Could Change Britton’s Time Frame

By Mike Axisa | April 1, 2011 at 8:43pm CDT

8:43pm: Connolly reports that Matusz has been placed on the disabled list and could miss anywhere from three to six weeks (Twitter links). Britton will be called up and start on Sunday.

8:21pm: The Orioles received some bad news before their first game of the season this evening, as young lefty Brian Matusz will miss tomorrow's start with an injury to the intercostal muscle on the left side of his back. Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun caught up with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, who indicated that the injury could accelerate the team's timetable for top prospect Zach Britton.

"It could depending on what kind of news we get [about Matsuz] and how long term we’re looking," said MacPhail. "I was hoping [the injury] was an April Fool's joke."

As Tim Dierkes explained a week ago, the Orioles will have to wait until April 21st to call Britton up if they want to delay his free agency by a year. The 23-year-old southpaw was named the 28th best prospect in the game by Baseball America before the season, and they said he owns the "best sinker in the minor leagues" in the 2011 edition of their Prospect Handbook.

Britton split last season between Double and Triple-A, pitching to a 2.70 ERA with 7.3 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9, though he generated 2.8 ground outs for every fly out. He also opened eyes with a stellar showing in Spring Training. Chris Tillman will start in Matusz's place on Saturday.

Share 0 Retweet 12 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Zach Britton

GM Not Expecting Talks With Lincecum During Season
Main
Quick Hits: Kroon, Sanchez, Cubs, Pirates, Rays
View Comments (11)

Comments

  1. Charles Tetrick

    12 years ago

    This is somewhat bad news cause they lose the extra year on Britton. But I am excited to get to see him pitch this Sunday.

    Reply
  2. rfffr

    12 years ago

    I see them most likely extending him at some point anyway.

    Reply
    • OrangeCards

      12 years ago

      Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. The kid has yet to make a start in the majors.

      Reply
      • CaseyBlakeDeWitt

        12 years ago

        Didn’t stop the Rays from extending Longoria.

        Reply
        • OrangeCards

          12 years ago

          Yeah, but Evan had actually played a week in the majors and it was considered an extremely rare signing.

          Zach Britton is represented by Scott Boras, so even if they’re able to negotiate an extension, losing this year of service time will affect the length and dollars of said extension.

  3. quintjs

    12 years ago

    He has to stick at the major level level from now on to get the service time right?

    Do we honestly expect that to happen? In the AL East? Lester didn’t, nor Hughes or Buchholz, Price went down to the minors after his bullpen work.

    All they need to do is send him back down for a couple of months when Matusz gets back and its problem soveld.

    And he will have some rough patches this year that they can use to send him down. He will struggle.

    And that makes it the best of both worlds, he gets some exposure, but doesn’t get enough service time, so when he comes back up he is prepared and better able to deliever, ala the players I mentioned above and that were not scrubs.

    Reply
  4. RobMor

    12 years ago

    Here is a thought, say Britton comes up and pitches better than Tillman and or Arrieta, what happens when Matusz comes off the DL? I certainly understand wanting to send him down for 20 days so we get that extra year or control but the Orioles will get roasted by fans and media people alike if they do.

    Orioles have some talented young pitches so its very possible Britton out pitches Tillman / Arrieta during the next month and a half. IF Tillman goes 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA while Britton goes 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA, you are going to have a hard time justifying to people that Britton needs more time in Triple A while keeping Tillman on the ML roster.

    Reply
    • NatsTown

      12 years ago

      very interesting what they do because Britton is better than both Arrieta and Tillman

      Reply
      • grownice

        12 years ago

        How is he already better without ever pitching in the MLB?

        Reply
        • NatsTown

          12 years ago

          better stuff, better overall pitcher. a lefty sinkerballer who also strikes people out with great makeup. By your logic, last year Rodrigo Lopez was a better pitcher than Strasburg before he was called up

    • birdbrass190

      12 years ago

      well remember the orioles have only a 4 man rotation right now so theoretically if Britton does well they can keep everyone, and send down a positon player instead

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Orioles To Decline Five-Year Lease Extension At Camden Yards, Seeking Longer-Term Agreement With Maryland Stadium Authority

    Mariners, Dylan Moore Agree to Three-Year Extension

    Blue Jays Sign Chad Green

    Rays Extend Yandy Diaz

    Dexter Fowler Announces Retirement

    Mets Sign Jeff McNeil To Four-Year Extension

    Red Sox, Marlins Swap Matt Barnes For Richard Bleier

    Darren O’Day Announces Retirement

    Royals To Re-Sign Zack Greinke

    Braves Extend Manager Brian Snitker Through 2025

    Rays Sign Pete Fairbanks To Extension

    Royals Sign Aroldis Chapman To One-Year Deal

    Athletics Sign Jesús Aguilar

    Orioles Acquire Cole Irvin From A’s

    Astros Name Dana Brown General Manager

    Rays Extend Jeffrey Springs

    Royals, Red Sox Swap Adalberto Mondesi For Josh Taylor

    Red Sox Designate Matt Barnes For Assignment

    Scott Rolen Elected Into Baseball Hall Of Fame

    Red Sox Sign Adam Duvall

    Recent

    Orioles To Decline Five-Year Lease Extension At Camden Yards, Seeking Longer-Term Agreement With Maryland Stadium Authority

    Falvey: Bullpen Upgrades “Not A Priority”

    The Dodgers’ Outfield Gambles

    Mariners, Dylan Moore Agree to Three-Year Extension

    Cal Raleigh Underwent Offseason Thumb Surgery

    Red Sox Notes: Barnes, Bleier, Paxton, Bello, Pivetta

    Extension Candidate: Dylan Cease

    Mariners Win Arbitration Case Against Diego Castillo

    Mariners, Kyle Tyler Agree To Minor League Contract

    Dodgers Move Danny Lehmann To Bench Coach

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version