The Orioles are willing to listen to trade scenarios involving closer Zach Britton, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. While prior signals were that the organization would hold on to the southpaw this winter, it seems there’s now at least some possibility of a swap coming together.
Baltimore engaged in chatter involving Britton last summer and nearly dealt him to the Astros. But talks sputtered at the last minute and he ended up remaining on hand. MLBTR projects that Britton will earn a hefty $12.2MM in arbitration.
As Heyman notes, the O’s could find it advantageous to reallocate that payroll space to a rotation that’s badly in need of attention. Plus, with Britton slated for free agency after the season, this would be an opportune time to cash him in for young talent.
Houston is not presently among the organizations engaged on Britton, per the report. But the Dodgers and Cubs have already engaged in some chatter surrounding the 29-year-old hurler.
It remains unclear just how strong the market will be for Britton. Prior to the 2017 season, he had established himself as one of the game’s most dominant relievers. But the campaign didn’t quite go as hoped, as he fell short of his own lofty standards while dealing with elbow issues.
Britton ended the year with 37 1/3 innings of 2.89 ERA ball, posting 7.0 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 while inducing grounders on more than 70% of the balls put in play against him for the fourth-straight season. While his swinging-strike rate dropped off to 11.5% after topping out at 17.2% in 2016, Britton kept his monster sinker at over 96 mph and was obviously still able to use it to draw quite a few worm-burners.
ONE YEAR TOO LATE, IDIOT DUQUETTE!
Pretty much this. I cannot believe they didn’t do this last off-season. The could have basically restocked the top half of the farm system and they had plenty of other big arms to fill in at closer. Huge, huge blunder.
Exactly. You won’t get great value back for a soon to be free agent who is due $12mm.
Yes you will, both Cubs & LAD are 1-2 players away and in need of late inn Relief, for 12.2, no brainer!
You get more for him if he has two years of control, as opposed to 1. You get more for him before the injury. You get more for him in a weaker, closer wise, FA market.
Britton’s injury last year will lower his value, but what he did in 2016 will get him moved. The O’s won’t get total value for him.
Why are you yelling
Anyone who is an O’s fan should be yelling about this. Failure to move Britton at a historic peak value is right there next to the Davis deal as a blatant FO failure.
It’s Just A Game©
Not many players are traded immediately after having a historically good season, especially on teams that are planning to contend like the O’s were going into 2017. If you can find one, let us know.
When it comes to the big names on the O’s its Angelos that makes those calls, not Duke. Just look at the Davis contract. That was all Angelos.
I think the real issue was Baltimore “planning to contend.”
You’re right, a team that had just won 89 games and had no significant free agent losses should have just waved the white flag on the next season.
They were 1 and 1./2 out at the start of September so they were in it until the dreadful September.
Josh Donaldson being traded from the athletics
I thought the owner was the one who nixed the deal… he does have a boss!
Actually it was the astros that nixed it because they couldn’t agree on the return. The Astros wanted to give up next to nothing and the Os wanted more so Stros didn’t pull the trigger.
You are correct.
Dan has no plan. He wakes in the morning and grows a dart at the selection board.
“Hmm, today I’m supposed to waste money. Think I’ll give Gallardo 22 million dollars.”
At least you aren’t a Mariners fan. I think he wakes up and thinks “man, what can I do to make my team consistently the 3rd best team in the AL West…?” He’s like yeah, let’s give Cano a ton of money.
Then he’s like “Hey Boston, will you trade us Miley for Elias?”
Boston: “Heck yes! Deal!. Only if you pay somewhere around $6M of his salary too…”
Seattle: “Sure. We’ll throw in 6 years of control of a reliever with a lifetime 2.14 ERA too if you want.”
Boston: “…Seriously? You’re kidding right. Um…yes”
Finally, the O’s are doing something intelligent
I’d be careful about giving away top tier talent on this one. If he’s good, he’s leaving. If not, you paid a big price and a big salary. Baltimore might have an easier time of it in the summer, if a contender has an urgent need. Also, it’s Heyman, so you wonder whether Boras wants him with a higher profile team and is floating a trail balloon.
should have moved him at the deadline last year….
For who? At the deadline last year Britton had recently returned after missing a month on the DL. His ERA after the DL stint up to the deadline was almost 5. His trade value was at its absolute lowest. If anything he should’ve been traded during the 2016 offseason
Should have moved Britton last offseason and let Givens/Brach/anyone close.
The Orioles should not have a problem if they move Britton. Showalter has a knack for building the bullpen. Sell high and let the management work their magic.
I dissagree, Britton is not replaceable!
They can easily replace him with Brach. That money is much better spent on the rotation. Can’t close games if you don’t have a lead.
Givens is great too.
Givens. Brach needs traded too.
He is exquisitely replaceable. 12+ million for 70 innings is ridiculous, and the Orioles are going to be terrible this year so why not move him? Get back a couple reasonable prospects( FAR less than he’d have brought last offseason) and spend the money elsewhere.
All relievers are replaceable.
He’s going to the Astros
Only if the asking price is reduced. At $12.2M, the Astros can go after Minor, McGee or others without giving up any prospects.
That’s like saying, the Cardinals could go after Giancarlo Stanton, or they could save money and sign Melky Cabrera.
No it’s not like that at all. Both Minor and McGee didn’t have a WHIP over 1.5 which is something I’d never want in a reliever especially one that’s slated to pitch the late innings.
So you’re just ignoring his 3 year stretch of dominance? Britton by no means had a good year. That’s largely in part due to an insane BABIP of .339
I don’t think so. The gap between Britton and Minor is not that much in terms of pure stuff. Minor is still learning to be a reliever and I bet he is even better next year. McGee is also really solid. The gap between Stanton and Melky is like the gap between Trout and Fowler – huge.
True, and it’s not like Minor doesn’t have a lengthy injury history…
Minor’s 2017 was extremely fluky, based almost entirely on homer suppression in one of the most homer-suppressing parks in the majors. He’s not in Britton’s class.
This is the funniest comment all day. The Red Sox could sign Eric Hosmer, or they could save money and reign Moreland or Sandoval.
Again, that comment is about as far off base as they come.
Actually, in terms of average performance over many years, Hosmer isn’t much more than Moreland.
Britton’s strikout rate plummeted. His WHIP skyrocketed.to almost DOUBLE last year.
No that was not all due to the BABIP. His walk rate jumped, A LOT, too. His hit per nine almost doubled, as well.
ERA + and FIP both tumbled dramatically.
He had a great three year, but there are red flags all over. Many guys have dominating runs like that and then come back down.
Minor had very strong numbers as a starter in 2013 and decent numbers in 2011 and 2012. He isn’t a fluke
McGee was awesome in 2012, 14, and 15.
If Zach’s health concerns are more than the other’s, to a team, yeah, I’d go with one of the others.
As an Os fan I promise last season was the fluke and not a red flag. He just couldn’t find a rhythm and was dealing with injuries, trade talk, and consecutive saves streak. He is very good at throwing that slider for a strike and it’s unhittable. Even when he didn’t look like himself it took a team getting a couple bloop type hits to score on him. Even when he walks guys he often follows it up with a groundball double play. He is a dominant closer and any team that gets him can plug him into ninth and not worry about it all season. I would be concerned with his knee but if healthy the production will be there.
Right. And Sipp will bounce back.
Too bad STL couldn’t get a hold of him.
why are the dodgers in? the bullpen isn’t a huge need and the last thing they should want is a fight for closer.
Bullpen is a pretty big need for them with Morrow and Watson currently FA’s. If they had Britton for the WS I think they would have won it
And Dave Roberts likes to pamper his starters.m by consistently pulling them early.
This way starters get 40 pitches or 3 innings in playoff next year. Just get 9!pitchers each pitch one inning every game.
This. Before Watson and Cingrani, and Morrow’s unlikely rise, the pen was a pretty big problem. They couldn’t get the ball to Jansen, and the fanbase was ready to run Pedro Baez (their setup man then) out of town.
They would’ve won if they had a competent manager…
The O’s either need to sell now on Britton, Jones, Brach, and Machado who will all be FA after the 2018 season and reboot the franchise or go all in on TOR starting pitching and compete for the AL East now.
O’s fans all know that Angelos will do neither. He will half arse it by selling only one and signing starting pitching retreads and we are stuck in 3-4th place again in 2018.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs got him for Davis’ replacement
Yes, please. How about Hatch and a 10-19 prospect?
I’d have to think the O’s will get way more than that for Britton. He showed signs of dominance last year but didn’t have enough time with all the injuries, that’s why the numbers are much worse than past years. He would most likely fetch the O’s a top 100 prospect or MLB ready player to headline the deal.
Yea I would think they will target one top prospect over a few lottery prospects. I think they are targeting a overall top 75 guy while eating a couple million. I think they would love a center fielder to prepare for Jones departure after next season.
The problem is, the cubs don’t have a top 100 prospect
Mullins will be replacing Jones in ’19
I️ could see the O’s looking for someone like Schwarber and one of the Cubs top pitching prospects. Then move Trumbo for whatever they can get and have Schwarber DH.
Almora for britton
No way.
Hahahahaha. Schwarber for 1 year of a 12mil RP? No.
Maybe Almora for Britton and Bundy… But no way you’re getting him for just Britton. The ship has sailed on Britton’s value. They could just sign Morrow and keep their young stud CF…
Whatever team gets him will be thrilled having him come out for the ninth. Dude is money. Problem is it might be a year to late to get legit talent back considering his salary. Target a rich team and hope for a top prospect. The salary relief would be huge for a team that has three rotation spots to fill. The Os still have Brach and Givens to close plus Oday and Bleier as worst case options.
David Paulino and Colin Moran for Britton?
And maybe throw in AJ Reed as well
Could have gotten more 3 months ago and you could have gotten a gold mine last winter. Smooth move, Danny.
Don’t blame Duquesne it’s Angelos who won’t give up talent. Birds need to trade Britton and Manny now and reload
It’s funny how everyone is mad cuz Britton wasn’t moved last offseason but were you guys really wanting that or just want it now that he declined this year?
I️ called for it at the time. Britton coming off a historic season at peak value, meanwhile we had Brach ready to slide into the closer role and a season where our bullpen was a real strength. Typical economics – deal from a position of strength, sell high. It just made so much sense.
Brach had 18 saves and 6 blown saves. The third worst percentage in the AL among closers with at least 11 saves.
camdenchat.com/2017/10/13/16468122/orioles-brad-br…