The Boston Red Sox are among the teams heavily scouting left-handed reliever Zach Britton, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
Britton, the closer for the Baltimore Orioles, is a pending free agent. He made his season debut earlier this month following off-season right Achilles surgery.
The 30-year-old seems to be rounding into form. Five of his six appearances have been scoreless, with the exception an ugly outing in which the Braves scored four runs on five hits as Britton recorded just one out.
If by the end of July he’s anything close to the reliever who tallied 135 saves and a 1.61 ERA from 2014-17, Britton would be a major addition to a contender’s relief corps. The Red Sox have fellow free-agent-to-be Craig Kimbrel ensconced in the closer’s role, but are in need of a left-hander.
Britton could provide that answer, also forming a lethal 1-2 punch that shortens games for the Red Sox. The Astros, Indians and Phillies are also supposedly in the running for his services, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
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Another Orioles star to watch
Of course any discussion about potential Orioles deals must include Manny Machado. Thus, as Heyman reports, the Los Angeles Dodgers “retain interest” in the shortstop and “and plan to stay in touch on that score.”
The Dodgers were dealt a significant blow earlier this season when shortstop Corey Seager was diagnosed with a right ulnar collateral ligament sprain that required Tommy John surgery. He’s out for the season, while third baseman Justin Turner started slowly after returning from a fractured left wrist.
L.A.’s offence has fared well — the team ranks third in the NL in runs scored and OPS — but the addition of an impact hitter and defender like Machado could prove to be a difference-maker in a tight NL West race.
Yankees holding on to Frazier?
The New York Yankees have made it known that they’ll be on the hunt for starting pitching as the July non-waiver trade deadline approaches. But during their pursuit of rotation upgrades, the club wants to hold on to outfielder Clint Frazier, who is widely regarded as their best trade chip.
“We’d like to hold on to him,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said to Bruce Beck on NBC Sports Final. “I know he’s someone that we’re going to get asked a lot about, and so far we’ve been able to say no and hand-check everything, but I’m a big Clint Frazier fan.”
Frazier, 23, was acquired by the Yankees in the 2016 deal that sent Andrew Miller to the Indians. He’s spent most of this season at triple-A, where he owns a .947 OPS, but is blocked from a starting role on the major-league roster by a plethora of outfielders.
“We’re lucky to have him,” the GM said. “He’s getting better. He’s a toolbox that every year since we’ve gotten him he’s exponentially improved.”
It’s worth noting that the Yankees have been linked to Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ. Frazier would be a prime target for the Blue Jays in any potential deal, but if Cashman sticks to this strategy, Toronto might have to look to other players in the Yankees’ deep farm system.