The New York Mets spent all offseason making headlines.
Why stop now?
While it would pale in comparison to the other high-profile moves the free-spending Mets have made (or tried to make) in recent months, the team nevertheless was linked Wednesday to reliever Zack Britton.
Britton, a free agent, hosted a workout in Florida, and the Mets were among the teams in attendance, a source told MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported, citing a source, the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers also scouted Britton during the throwing session.
The Mets’ participation makes sense for multiple reasons: They’re World Series hopefuls who could use another left-hander in their bullpen, and Britton is familiar with New York manager Buck Showalter from their time together with the Baltimore Orioles.
Britton, a two-time All-Star, averaged 40 saves per season from 2014 to 2016, a stretch in which he posted a 1.38 ERA and earned two All-Star selections as Baltimore’s closer. He even finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting in 2016 after totaling 47 saves with a minuscule 0.54 ERA.
The Orioles traded Britton to the New York Yankees in 2018, and he has spent the last four-plus seasons in pinstripes. Britton totaled just 19 innings the last two seasons, though, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2021.
Whichever team signs Britton probably won’t receive the vintage version at this point. He just turned 35 and injuries have become a problem, even leading to diminished velocity. But Britton, a ground-ball specialist in his prime, presumably would be a low-cost acquisition, making him a worthwhile target for a team, like the Mets, with championship aspirations in 2023.
