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Baltimore Orioles: Zach Britton Unsure of Future with Orioles

By Kevin Haswell

Jul 16, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 16, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Zach Britton is set to become a free agent after the 2018 season. Will the Baltimore Orioles be able to keep their star closer?

You could argue that Zach Britton was the best pitcher in the American League this season. The AL Cy Young Award is set to be announced soon and Britton could receive consideration. But the filthy left-hander is unsure about his future with the Baltimore Orioles.

It would be very disappointing if the Orioles let Britton hit free agency after the 2018 season. The Orioles better lock up Britton now, before he has a chance to test the market and see what he is really worth. He proved this season that he is the best reliever in baseball and one of the best pitchers in the American League.

Britton, 28, posted an unbelievable 0.54 ERA this season in 67 innings pitched as the Orioles closer. He was 47-for-47 in save opportunities this season and only gave up four earned runs all year. Even with those statistics, Orioles manager Buck Showalter decided to not use him in the one-game elimination AL Wild Card Game.

Instead, the team decided to use right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who went on to give up a walk-off, season-ending home run to Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion. Showalter was criticized for weeks for his decision and now the team has to wonder what would have happened if they used Britton.

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The Orioles now need to decide whether they want to sign Britton to a long-term deal or if they want to try and trade him before he hits the market after the 2018 campaign. Britton will demand a large payday regardless of what happens. He possesses perhaps the best pitch in all of baseball; his 98 MPH sinker was absolutely unhittable this year.

The highest-paid closer in Major League Baseball right now is Aroldis Chapman, who is making $11.3 million this season. The Orioles will definitely have to pay in excess of that $11.3 million if they want to keep Britton beyond 2018. A comparable deal would be the one that Andrew Miller got with the New York Yankees in 2014. He signed a four-year, $36 million contract.

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Britton, who had better number than Miller this season, could look to get a deal in the range of four to five years, in excess of $60 million. Regardless of whether Britton is with the Baltimore Orioles past the 2018 season, he will be sitting pretty financially at that time.

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