Baltimore Orioles: Zach Britton Wants Long Term Extension
By David Hill
Zach Britton has established himself as one of the best closers in baseball. Yesterday, the Baltimore Orioles standout reiterated his desire to stay with the team on a long term deal.
Since transferring to the bullpen, Zach Britton has established himself as one of the more dominant closers in the game. The two time All Star has notched 120 saves in that time, to go along with an incredible 1.38 ERA and a 0.909 WHiP. His presence in the back of the Baltimore Orioles bullpen has helped the team make the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, despite infamously not pitching during the Wild Card Game last year.
Given the market for relievers, and how Britton is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2018 season, there have been rumors that the Orioles are shopping him to other teams. However, that is not due to any desire from the All Star closer himself, who reiterated once again that he wants to remain in Baltimore on a long term deal.
A long term extension could actually be a benefit for the Orioles in regards to payroll. Britton is slated to make $11.4 Million this season, a number that will increase next year through arbitration. He is already one of the highest paid closers in the game, and could come close to setting the bar next year.
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In agreeing to a longer term deal, the Orioles may be able to save a few million in the coming years. If Britton puts together what has become an average year in the past three years, he could well approach the type of contract that both Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen earned this past offseason. An extension now could keep him below that level.
Yes, this would also have a level of risk. Closers who remain dominant for an extended period of time are still a fairly rare breed. For every Mariano Rivera or Billy Wagner, there are quite a few pitchers like Eric Gagne or Brad Lidge. If Britton is looking for a four or five year deal, or possibly longer, the Orioles would need to determine if they feel he can become one of those few closers who dominate for a decade or more.
A long term extension is also an interesting desire for Britton. If he continues to dominate, Britton could be in for quite the payday in free agency. He would only be 31 years old, and still in his prime. By signing an extension, he could be passing on quite a bit of money.
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Zach Britton wants to sign a long term extension with the Baltimore Orioles. For both sides, such a move would come with a lot of risk.