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3 free-agent solutions if Yankees turn down Zack Britton’s 2022 option

By Thomas Carannante |
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Mets pitches during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Mets pitches during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
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The Yankees still haven’t made a decision on Zack Britton, so let’s prepare as if he’s leaving.

The New York Yankees need to decide whether or not they’re going to exercise Zack Britton’s 2022 contract option three days after the World Series. If they do, he’ll be signed to a two-year, $27 million deal. If they don’t, he’ll have a player option for the 2021 season, and one could assume he’d opt out of that to get more money.

As we’ve been doing all offseason long, let’s prepare for the worst. Let’s pretend as if the Yankees are going to decline the ’22 option and Britton will opt to hit free agency this offseason. Ok, now what?!

Well, it’s more than likely if the Yankees go the free-agent route, they’ll have to settle with a righty to take over the setup man role. There aren’t any high-end lefties available, so Cashman will have to work out a trade if he wants that. But there are relievers who have closing/setup experience that the Yankees could get for cheaper than Britton.

These guys could seamlessly take over eighth inning duties for the Bombers.

Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Mets (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Mets (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

3. Dellin Betances

Former Yankees setup man Dellin Betances could be back in pinstripes soon.

Shave that beard, hop on the subway, and get back on over to the Bronx, Dellin Betances! What a turn of events this would be. And it would’ve played into the Yankees’ hands perfectly.

Betances pitched a fraction of an inning in 2019 due to shoulder issues and then suffered a partially-torn Achilles after celebrating a strikeout in his debut late in the year. That ended his time with the Yankees, since the team had other relief options and needed to spend elsewhere (Gerrit Cole).

So Betances signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the crosstown Mets, but he’s got a $6 million team option for 2021 and a $1 million player option for 2022. Given the pandemic-shortened season saw the right-hander log a 7.71 ERA and 2.06 WHIP in just 15 games, we’d venture to say the Mets aren’t going to pick up the tab on that $6 mil.

That’s where the Yankees can pounce. Betances clearly still needs some time to get back to his normal self, so elevate Chad Green to the setup role, let Betances log innings and get comfortable, and then deploy him appropriately. He’ll come cheap and the Yankees know what they can get out of him.

Worth a shot? Perhaps. But there are better options. This one should be a last resort.

Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images) /

2. Alex Colome

Remember Alex Colome when he was on the Rays? The Yankees could use him!

The Chicago White Sox will see their closer, Alex Colome, hit free agency in a few days, and he’ll likely be highly sought-after given his last two seasons, which have featured a 2.27 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 42 saves and 71 strikeouts in 83 games (83.1 innings).

He’s a veteran, former All-Star, and has a ton of experience pitching in the back end of a bullpen. He led the league with 47 saves back in 2017 with the Rays before he flamed out a bit and was traded to the Seattle Mariners.

But now it seems he’s regained his footing and he’s managed to do so in a competitive AL Central. That should be enough to convince the Yankees he can handle the AL East. His fastball-cutter combo has proved to be dominant and that’ll be lethal behind Aroldis Chapman.

For his career, he’s largely been solid against the Red Sox (4.08 ERA), Orioles (3.40 ERA) and Blue Jays (3.70 ERA), so we’ll take that in the setup role no doubt. And if Chapman gets hurt or needs a rest, Colome can close it out.

Liam Hendriks #16 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Liam Hendriks #16 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

1. Liam Hendriks

The former Oakland A’s closers is a free agent and could be a big pickup for the Yankees.

Liam Hendriks has been a revelation the last two seasons, registering a 1.79 ERA, 39 saves and 161 strikeouts across 110.1 innings of work, but that’s bad news for the Oakland Athletics because the right-hander just priced himself out of the Bay Area.

A prohibitive cost for a small market team is a bargain for a big market team, and that’s exactly what we have here. Hendriks will be 32 by the time the 2021 season starts, so it’s hard to believe he’s going to command a ton of money, especially given the pandemic circumstances. Plus, if he’s willingly signing on as a setup man for the Yankees, that’ll probably lower his price tag a tad.

And the fact of the matter is the Bombers aren’t going to pay him more than (or close to) what Britton would’ve made, solely out of principle. The lefty has been just as good, sans the saves and strikeouts. Britton makes up for his lack of strikeouts by inducing groundouts like it’s nothing. And he’d probably have similar save numbers if he had been closing for the Yankees.

Nonetheless, he’s a great fit for the Yankees, would get a much bigger contract after going through the arbitration process in Oakland, and would be put in a position to win, which could entice him. Plus, he’s got four pitches. Though he mostly uses his fastball, which averages 96 MPH, and slider, he also sports a curveball and changeup. That type of mix is huge for the back end of the bullpen.

The sad reality here is that the Yankees could strategize here to get themselves out of Britton’s sizable contract and capitalize on a free agent class that will be desperate once owners across the league exercise financial caution.

Do you think if the Yankees came forward with a three-year, $20 million deal, Hendriks wouldn’t take it?

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