Harper, Machado, and more: Reassessing the 2018-19 MLB free agents
By Bill Felber
Examining the contract: Zack Britton, New York Yankees, three years, $39 million
Britton came to the 2018-19 free agent market with a stellar career in the Baltimore bullpen. It included a 30-22 record, 139 saves, and a 3.22 ERA.
The Yankees, seeking to further deepen a bullpen that already had Aroldis Chapman, had traded for Britton during the 2018 season. Intrigued by his 2.88 ERA in 25 appearances, they proceeded to outbid the field for Britton, who was, at the time, considered the best of the free agent bullpen class. They did that despite having no expressed intention to use Britton in the closer’s role.
We’re still in the process of determining ways to evaluate relievers who are not closers. The best indicators are probably ERA, ERA+, and WHIP.
By those measures, Britton produced two excellent seasons for the Yankees and one bad one. In 2019 and 2020, Britton worked 80 innings with a 1.90 ERA, and WHIPs around 1.1.
Britton’s 2021 season was another story altogether. In 22 appearances totaling just 18 innings, his ERA soared to 5.89. Injuries played a role; he did not pitch at all in September, and underwent reconstructive elbow surgery.
That’s bad news for the Yanks, who were already on the hook for $14 million in 2022, having previously picked up a club option on the reliever. That’s an object lesson; never, ever, pick up an option on a pitcher before you absolutely must.