Yankees AL-best bullpen is bolstered by trade for Zach Britton

Without a surefire ace on the trade market, Yankees GM Brian Cashman sent three pitching prospects to the Orioles for two-time All-Star reliever Zach Britton.

After missing the majority of the 2017 season due to an Achilles injury, left-handed reliever Zach Britton has only had six weeks in the bigs to shake off the rust. Regardless, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has seen enough to send three promising pitching prospects to the Orioles for the chance to employ Britton for at least the next three months.

A free-agent-to-be at season’s end, the Yanks will pay the remaining $4.5 million of Britton’s $12 million salary, which according to Joel Sherman doesn’t preclude the Bombers from potentially adding a starting pitcher that fits under the remaining $11.5 million before the luxury tax threshold.

The former third-round pick in 2006, Britton will have plenty of opportunities to impress his new ballclub, as manager Aaron Boone can unleash Britton in a variety of situations.

From giving Aroldis Chapman’s ailing left knee a game or two off, to facing a left-handed power bat anywhere from the sixth inning on, Britton will be a piece to the jigsaw puzzle that is shortening each game and keeping the starting staff off the ropes.

More from Yankees News

• Red Sox living in different financial ‘galaxy’ than Yankees Killer Rafael Devers
• Yankees slice surprising fan favorite off roster to make room for Tommy Kahnle
• Yankees announce corresponding move, make Carlos Rodón signing official
• Aaron Judge puts more pressure on Yankees after being named Captain
• Carlos Correa-Giants-Mets bombshell makes Aaron Judge’s return to Yankees even better

According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Blue Jays recently asked the Yankees for at least one top-three prospect (Estevan Florial or Justus Sheffield included) for 35-year-old J.A. Happ — who can also walk at the conclusion of the season.

So aside from keeping Britton away from potential Postseason adversaries such as the Red Sox and Astros, Britton acts as a significant upgrade over Chasen Shreve, who I’d be surprised isn’t DFA’ed sometime soon.

Since becoming a full-time closer in 2014, the 30-year-old Britton has compiled a 1.72 ERA, 139 saves and 257 strikeouts in 262 innings.

Although Britton got off to a shaky start after being activated from the DL on June 11, in his last eight appearances (eight innings), he hasn’t allowed a single run with just three hits surrendered.

On the year, Britton is 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA, 1.340 WHIP, .212 BAA and 13:10 K:BB ratio in 15.2 innings pitched. With his power sinker (34.6 percent swing-and-misses) and 96-mph fastball returning to form, Britton joins a bullpen that houses an MLB-best 2.75 ERA.

Now the Yanks did surrender three of their top 30 prospects, highlighted by 2015 fourth-overall draft pick Dillon Tate, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Carlos Beltran trade. Also headed to Baltimore is No. 15 prospect Cody Carroll and left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers.

So it’s a bit of gamble if Britton were to walk at season’s end without a title coming home to the Bronx.

Though people will be quick to tell you that the Yankees can’t protect all their young talent, therefore making some expendable before the Rule 5 Draft (which is true), the outcome of the Rule 5 does little to frighten me.

After all, the four players selected from the Yankees last December were eventually returned to the club, including left-hander Nestor Cortes, who was taken by the Orioles. With Tate yet to pitch above Double-A, and Carroll and Rogers stuck at Triple-A, there’s no saying any of the three would last a full season on a major league roster anyway.

Luckily for the Yanks, 19 of their top 30 prospects are starting pitchers, including 13 of the top 15. Clearly, the farm system is still loaded.

Though it’s tough to imagine Britton turning back the clock to 2016 when put up career stats such as a 0.54 ERA, 63 games finished, an AL-best 47 saves in 47 opportunities and a 0.836 WHIP in 67 innings, the Yankees don’t need all that.

Instead, the club should empower the veteran lefty to carve out a new role, one that allows him to excel within an already stacked bullpen — including the likes of Aroldis Chapman, David Robertson, Dellin Betances, Chad Green, Jonathan Holder and Adam Warren.