New York Yankees All-Star reliever Zack Britton was forced to exit a pitching session on Wednesday after he was drilled by a comebacker in his right wrist and is being sent for evaluation.
Britton, a two-time All-Star reliever and the AL Saves leader in 2016, threw a pitch during batting practice to Erik Kratz and took the liner directly off his wrist. The 32-year-old southpaw walked off the field with a trainer in visible discomfort.
After signing with the Yankees during the 2019 offseason, Britton rediscovered his top form and recorded a 1.91 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 61.1 innings this past season. While he struggled with command at times, posting a 53-32 K-BB ratio, he proved to be reliable in late-inning situations for the Yankees.
The Yankees have experienced some horrific luck early in spring training. Aaron Judge has a stress fracture in a rib and Giancarlo Stanton has a calf strain, both star outfielders are expected to miss Opening Day. Meanwhile, Luis Severino underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2020 season.
If there’s any good news for New York, the comebacker hit Britton in his non-pitching wrist and that could accelerate his return. The team was also able to confirm that All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez is suffering from the flu, rather than the coronavirus.