Britton ruptures Achilles tendon during workouts

An offseason for the Orioles that's been defined by their willingness to trade third baseman Manny Machado and a desperate search for starting pitching has a new storyline involving a serious injury to closer Zach Britton.

Britton ruptured his right Achilles tendon yesterday while working out at agent Scott Boras' training center in California. The Orioles found out about it last night, according to executive vice president Dan Duquette, who confirmed the injury.

"We're trying to get our arms around it and it looks like surgery is indicated," Duquette said.

Asked for a timetable, Duquette replied, "We have to get a little bit more information from the surgery, but it looks like six months."

It looks like another low blow to the team that's still staggering from a last-place finish in 2017 and hasn't been able to address its most serious needs.

Duquette has been searching for a left-handed reliever, and the urgency has increased with Britton's surgery, which will take place on Thursday.

"We've been in the market for a left-handed reliever," Duquette said, "so we'll continue to be in that market."

Brad Brach would appear to be off the table despite heavy interest from other teams. He was a candidate to be traded if the Orioles held onto Britton, but he figures to inherit the closer's job on opening day.

Brach led the team with 18 saves this season, the opportunities presented to him with Britton twice on the disabled list with a strained left forearm. Britton also was shut down in September and underwent a stem-cell injection in his left knee, but doctors cleared him for normal activities and he's been working out in Florida, a full-go for spring training until yesterday.

"Brad Brach closed last year and Mychal Givens is very capable of closing games," Duquette said.

Britton, who turns 30 on Friday, registered a 0.54 ERA in 2016, went 47-for-47 in save opportunities and placed fourth in voting for the American League's Cy Young Award. He had a 2.89 ERA and 15 saves in 38 appearances this season, and MLBTradeRumors.com projected that he'll earn $12.2 million in his final year of arbitration before hitting the free agent market.

The Orioles could choose to release him or count on his return for the second half. The prospect of dealing him at the non-waiver deadline no longer exists.

The Astros nearly completed a trade for Britton in July, but the Orioles backed out after reviewing the medicals on two of the prospects in the deal.

Meanwhile, the Orioles remain unsatisfied with offers for Machado and are prepared to hold onto him, whether he plays third base or moves to shortstop. It's a fluid situation, of course, but teams aren't willing to part with the necessary pitching - two controllable starters who can be slotted into the rotation.

"Manny has significant value to the Orioles for 2018 and maybe beyond that," Duquette said.
"I'm not sure we're going to focus on that much more after tomorrow."

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal first reported Britton's injury.