Yankees' Zack Britton awaits more advice before shutting down his season
Yankees relief pitcher Zack Britton delivers against the Twins during the eighth inning of an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
ATLANTA — Zack Britton said he doesn’t want to "wave the white flag" on 2021, even though the lefty knows that’s the likely outcome after he was placed on the injured list Monday with an elbow sprain.
"I just don’t think this year is going to be in play anymore, unfortunately, but it won’t be clear until I speak with all the doctors," Britton said on the field Tuesday after the Yankees took BP before their game against Atlanta. "I’d prefer not to be shut down and be able to work my way back, but just the [medical] advice I’m getting is that doesn’t seem very realistic or even smart considering the surgery I had already. The advice I’ve gotten is that wouldn’t be the best move to try to come back this year. It would be with the eyes on coming back [healthy] next season."
He added later, with a tinge of hope that he didn’t seem to really feel: "Maybe somebody will tell me otherwise."
The remaining question, then, is whether the reliever will need surgery, something that’s been discussed with the three doctors he’s spoken with so far and there will be a fourth next week when he visits with Los Angeles-based orthopedic specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache early next week when the Yankees are in Anaheim to face the Angels. Tommy John can’t be ruled out, though Britton indicated he believes if surgery is needed it won’t necessarily be that procedure.
Britton, under contract for next season, has had a brutal year, posting a 5.89 ERA in 22 outings. He’s never been completely right physically, starting with when he reported to spring training a couple of weeks after a bout with COVID-19 caused him to lose 18 pounds. Britton started the year on the IL after undergoing surgery March 15 to remove a bone chip in his left elbow. After returning June 12, the lefthander was out from June 26-July 15 with a left hamstring strain. Then came Monday’s setback and a third IL stint, one that caused Britton to second-guess having the bone chip surgery, an ailment some pitchers — but certainly not all — are able to pitch through.
"With the bone chip removal, obviously I added some stress on some parts of my arm," Britton said. "So in hindsight, obviously, I’m kicking myself for doing that, but I lost all that weight [from COVID] and things kind of expose themselves. It’s just been a rough year."
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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