New York Yankees reliever Zack Britton had a rough 2021 when it comes to injuries.
He had a late start to the season, then injured his left hamstring and then had to undergo Tommy John surgery after hurting his elbow.
It was hard to watch, and the physical issues were reflected on his statline.
In 2021, Britton could only pitch 18.1 innings, with a poor 5.89 ERA, a 19.5 percent strikeout rate and a 17.1 percent walk rate.
He underwent ligament replacement surgery in early September.
The pitcher, through beat writer Bryan Hoch, updated his health status on Monday.
“Zack Britton said that his recovery from Tommy John surgery is going well and he believes there is a chance he can pitch in the big leagues toward the end of this season,” Hoch tweeted.
Zack Britton said that his recovery from Tommy John surgery is going well and he believes there is a chance he can pitch in the big leagues toward the end of this season.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 14, 2022
Britton Has A Lot Of Work To Do To Return This Season
For pitchers, Tommy John surgery usually takes between 12-16 months, so the most likely scenario is that Britton misses the whole 2022 campaign while rehabbing.
That being said, there is still a slight chance he is ready to pitch in September, in which case he would have to prove he is healthy enough to get big league guys out on a consistent basis.
That could prove the biggest roadblock. and the Yankees certainly have enough bullpen depth and quality to survive without him.
Aroldis Chapman, Lucas Luetge, Wandy Peralta, and Joely Rodriguez are the top lefties, while Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, Clay Holmes, Mike King, and Stephen Ridings are projected to be the right-handed guys in the unit.
Only time will tell if Britton actually returns this year, but it sounds like a longshot.
He has been an effective pitcher ever since he put on a Yankees uniform, so if he’s ready, the team won’t hesitate to give him a chance.
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