3:58pm: Britton tells the Baltimore Sun’s Peter Schmuck and other reporters that he pushed to return to action during his previous DL stint, when Orioles doctors preferred that he take more time to make sure the injury was fully healed. Britton will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion on his forearm. O’s manager Buck Showalter said that Alec Asher will take Britton’s spot on the active roster, though no official move has been announced.
TODAY, 8:14am: Britton will be placed on the 10-day DL and is expected to miss a few weeks, Connolly reports. The injury appears to be the same forearm strain that previous sidelined Britton, as there doesn’t appear to be any structural damage to the closer’s forearm or elbow ligaments.
FRIDAY: Orioles closer Zach Britton was not available tonight due to renewed issues with his ailing left forearm, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com was among those to report on Twitter. Britton required another MRI, though the results and the expected plan are not known at this time.
Needless to say, that’s disappointing news for the Orioles, who had just welcomed back the ace reliever. The 29-year-old missed about two weeks resting a forearm strain that seemed relatively mild. But it’s obviously concerning that the problems have returned after just two more outings.
Britton has allowed only a single earned run through his nine innings on the year. But he hasn’t been nearly as dominant as he was in 2016. Thus far, Britton has recorded seven strikeouts against four walks while permitting a dozen base hits. Last year, he didn’t allow his 16th baserunner until June 3rd.
The outstanding sinkerballer has still shown his typical velocity levels when healthy, though his swinging-strike rate of 11.9% lags far behind its 17.2% levels from a season ago. Whether he can get back on track remains to be seen, but he’ll first need to get back to full health.
It isn’t known at present whether another DL stint will be required. Righty Brad Brach would surely continue to fill in as the closer for whatever time Britton is unavailable.
I just saw all the rumors about Britton floating around MASN
I didn’t know, they said nothing during the game.
Anyway…
Oh also, DC escaped from the Sun, he has his own gig now, Just wanted to tell you.
No biggie, but just wanted to slide in here to advise.
Bottom line is if Britton is truly injured, this bullpen is going to challenge the patience of the Oriole faithful.
Is this some kind of postmodern poetry?
Well, I was trying to help and I all I got was grief, I think because sometimes I can’t tell if it is a response to me
Either way, I am SMH
PS I see that corrections were made.
Is this you President Trump?
LOL
Bullpen will be fine without him – exactly why he should have been traded this past off season. Duquette blew a great opportunity to start restocking the farm system by holding onto him. He’s coming off arguably the best season ever by a reliever, the best 3-year stretch ever, and going into the last year of his contract. We either sign him for absurd money, let him walk for nothing, or trade him while his value is high. Now, arm trouble and multiple DL stints blew his value and we are left with our johnsons in our hands.
Between Brach, O’Day, Givens, and Hart, we are in fine shape moving forward without him, but that’s all the more reason we should have moved him.
As much as i love Britton , this post was dead on. A team like the cubs would have paid the farm for Britton.
I dunno, Britton was rock solid and as you saw the Bullpen did struggle without him
I’ll remember the 2017 Britton as the guy who was the pitcher when the Os fielded a Triple play.
Tough break for the O’s. Hoping a speedy recovery for one of, if not the most dominant closer in all of baseball. That upper 90’s sinker is NAST-Y
Don’t worry. The Orioles’ offense will save them from their bullpen woes!
What bullpen woes. No blown saves ?
Actually they do have blown saves
You can’t remember as far back as blowing that 9-1 lead to the Yankees capped by the 3 run homer given up by Brach with 2 outs in the 9th to tie the game.