Zack Britton, the veteran left-handed reliever plagued by injuries, is likely to attract interest from a team willing to gamble on his potential. Over the last three seasons, Britton has only made 45 appearances, primarily due to health issues.
The Mets, dealing with the huge loss of closer Edwin Diaz for the season due to an injury sustained at the World Baseball Classic, might be a candidate to take a chance on Britton.
While the Mets have suggested they will rely on what they have, including veteran David Robertson, who, although not as dominant post-Tommy John surgery, remains reliable. “We need to explore new strategies for closing games,” Robertson mentioned to the New York Post. “We have the talent; we just need to execute.”
Despite this, the Mets have considered Britton. As noted by MLBtraderumors.com:
Britton, now 35, was once among the elite relief pitchers in the league, but injuries have hampered his career in recent years, limiting him to just 21 innings over the past two seasons. His performance during this brief span has been lackluster, with a 6.16 ERA while with the Yankees.
Last year was particularly challenging for Britton, as he attempted a return from Tommy John surgery in 2021, only to walk six out of nine batters in his comeback and subsequently suffer a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.