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Fantasy Baseball 2018: Yankees acquire Zach Britton

By Bill Pivetz

TORONTO, ON - JULY 21: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 21, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JULY 21: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch in the eighth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 21, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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The Orioles trade stat reliever Zach Britton to the Yankees. What fantasy baseball impact does this have for both teams?

The New York Yankees add a major piece to their bullpen for the final two months of the season. The team traded for closer Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles. This move creates a big ripple effect around both teams’ bullpens and fantasy baseball.

Britton’s fantasy value takes a big hit. While he may second in line to receive saves, the Yankees have other names they can turn to if Aroldis Chapman needs a day off. He is already familiar with the opposing batters, ballparks and weather.

However, Britton hasn’t been his usual self this season. He’s played in just 16 games and posted a 3.45 ERA, 1.340 WHIP, 7.5 K/9, 5.7 BB/9 and four saves. Just two years removed from an All-Star season and American League Cy Young contender, Britton has dealt with injuries since then.

The Yankees already have a star-studded bullpen with Chapman at the helm and Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Chad Green and Jonathan Holder. Each of those pitchers has at least 40 innings with an ERA of 3.05 or better this season. Adam Warren isn’t too far behind. Tommy Kahnle is down in Triple-A but has a live arm.

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This move gives the Yankees seven solid arms to rotate to help relieve (no pun intended) that day’s starting pitcher. With the recent struggles to the rotation, the Yankees need all the help they can get. They can afford to have Domingo German (if he’s called back up), Sonny Gray or Masahiro Tanaka go four innings when you have those arms ready in the bullpen.

The Yankees made a similar move last season when they acquired Robertson and Kahnle from the Chicago White Sox. I’ve mentioned before that teams, especially the playoff contenders, are building “super bullpens” to keep everyone’s arm fresh.

As for the Orioles, they have a couple of names that can take over the closer role. One name that is very obvious is Brad Brach. He was the Orioles closer while Britton was out. Brach recorded 10 saves but has a 4.97 ERA, 1.737 WHIP and 38:18 K:BB ratio.

The other Orioles reliever that could see some save chances is Mychal Givens. He has a 4.50 ERA, 1.400 WHIP and 10.3 K/9. Though, he has just one career save, which came this season. Brach is the top name to add with Givens being a deep-league speculative add.

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Britton owners will still receive the ratios and strikeouts this season. There just won’t be as many saves over the final two months. Brach is the de facto closer in Baltimore.

Will we see another closer traded to bolster a bullpen? Raisel Iglesias to Houston, perhaps?

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