Zach Britton can give the Yankees bullpen a big boost

Zach Britton isn’t the starting pitcher Yankee fans are clamoring for, but he can give Aaron Boone a lot more options late in games. 

The Yankees let Manny Machado head to the Dodgers, but that doesn’t mean Brian Cashman is done shopping in Baltimore. Various reports claim Zach Britton could be headed to the Bronx in a matter of hours.

MLB.com believes the crux of the deal may have the Yankees sending their No. 9 prospect Dillon Tate to Baltimore in exchange for the left-handed reliever. Tate has some potential, but he’s not a premium prospect given his age. Most 24-year-olds have already broken into the majors if they’re going to ultimately become anything more than an average regular. Tate might break that glass ceiling, but the odds aren’t in his favor.

There are also reports that claim AAA starter Josh Rogers and Cody Carroll will also be a part of the deal. Both pitchers are perfectly expendable to New York due to their eligibility for the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

Yankee fans should be very excited about the potential addition of Britton to their bullpen. He’s only pitched 15 2/3 innings this season after coming back from a torn Achilles, but his ERA of 3.45 shows he’s capable of providing the Yankees bullpen an immediate boost. If acquired, he’ll immediately take Chasen Shreve’s spot as the left-handed setup man.

Acquiring Britton will also give the team insurance in case Aroldis Chapman is forced to miss serious time. The Cuban closer has been dealing with knee tendonitis all season long and it’s always possible he’ll need a trip to the DL to recover in time for the playoffs. Britton’s experience as a closer in the AL East gives Boone a reliable option to finish off wins in Chapman’s absence.

Britton can really give the Yankees a boost when the playoffs come around. He’s exactly the sort of power arm from the left side that can make a difference once October rolls around. Think of him as the left-handed version of Dellin Betances in the Yankee bullpen.

Next: Yankees maintain their conservative trade policy

The reality of this year’s trade market is that starting pitching is going to be awfully difficult to acquire at a reasonable price. Adding a big time bullpen arm for a relatively modest price is the next best thing. If Cashman can swap Tate for Britton it’s a big win for the Yankees.