‘It’s a gut punch’
Zach Britton was running a routine 40-yard sprint during an offseason workout Tuesday when he pushed off on his right foot and felt a burst of pain shoot through his calf.
“There was pain everywhere,” Britton said. “It hurt so bad.”
Later in the day, Britton was diagnosed with a ruptured right Achilles tendon, an injury that will force him to be sidelined for at least six months. Britton, whomissed most of the 2017 season with forearm and knee injuries, said he will undergo surgery today and be aiming for a mid-June return.
“I’m beyond frustrated,” Britton said Wednesday in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “I came out here and did physical therapy on the knee. Was done with that. I was throwing, getting ready to throw bullpens pretty soon. So I felt like I was right where I need to be. I was excited to get the season going because I actually felt like myself again, so it’s a gut punch. It’s hard to explain. It’s really frustrating.”
The loss of Britton for potentially most of the first half of next season sends ripples through an Orioles offseason that’s become complicated rather quickly.
Britton, who will turn 30 on Friday, was considered a potential trade chip this winter with him eligible to become a free agent after the coming season, but now that he’s injured, the team can’t trade either him or likely setup man Brad Brach, who would again fill in at closer as he did last season.
The Orioles bullpen has been its greatest strength, and last year the club