Matthew Taylor: Zach Britton closing in on history for O's

Zach Britton is a perfect 30-for-30 in save situations in 2016 after closing things out in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon. He joins Gregg Olson as the only Orioles relievers with three seasons of 30 or more saves. The current O's closer is justifying the T-shirt worthy play on words, "Great Britton" (hat tip: OBP Apparel).

This is the fifth consecutive year that the Orioles have had a closer with 30 or more saves, which marks the longest such run in team history. Britton is putting an exclamation point on the quintet of seasons. His greatness in 2016 is putting him in elite company not only among Orioles greats but also in baseball history overall.

Continuing on the local level, Britton is currently projected to finish with 52 saves. That would eclipse Jim Johnson's team record 51 saves in 2012 and make the Orioles the first club to have a closer with 50 saves three different times. A 52-save season would also move Britton up the O's career saves list.

Olson is the team's career saves leader with 160. Britton, with 103 career saves, is fourth on the list. He trails Tippy Martinez by two saves and Jim Johnson by 19 saves. Reaching 50 saves would move Britton into second place overall.

Beyond Baltimore, Britton's 2016 season is shaping up to be among the best-ever for a closer. He currently has 30 saves, a 0.66 ERA and 10.54 strikeouts per nine innings. No pitcher has ever recorded 30 or more saves with an ERA less than 1.00 and a strikeouts per nine innings average of at least 10.

Three guys have come close to Britton's totals in saves, ERA and SO/9 over the course of a full season: Fernando Rodney in 2012 (48 saves, 0.60 ERA, 9.16 SO/9), Jonathan Papelbon in 2006 (35 saves, 0.92 ERA, 9.88 SO/9), and Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley in 1990 (48 saves, 0.61 ERA, 8.96 SO/9). Meanwhile, Britton's adjusted ERA+ of 662 is thus far the best of the bunch. Rodney finished with a 641 ERA+ while Eckersley ended up at 603 and Papelbon at 517.

Britton is also in the aforementioned company if you consider WHIP as part of the equation. The same three closers are the only pitchers to have 30 or more saves, an ERA less than 1.00 and a WHIP less than 1.00. Rodney finished with a 0.777 WHIP in 2012, while Papelbon posted a 0.776 WHIP in 2006 and Eckersley had a 0.614 WHIP in 1990. Britton's WHIP stands at 0.83.

I was surprised that Mariano Rivera's name didn't appear as I ran the numbers in these categories. Britton undoubtedly has a long way to go to match Rivera's sustained greatness, which included 15 seasons with 30 or more saves. However, Britton's 2016 season is lining up with any of Rivera's greatest individual efforts.

Rivera's best season for saves was 53 in 2014; his lowest ERA was 1.38 in 2005; he had only one season when his strikeouts per nine innings topped 10; and while he is the career leader for ERA+ at 205, his best single-season total of 316 in 2008 is less than half of Britton's current mark.

Britton's numbers are impressive. It's also impressive that he has provided me with a rare sense of calm in end-game situations. That has never happened before in my personal history as an O's fan. Thanks to Britton's sinking pitches, I've found myself anticipating groundouts and game-ending double plays even when things look dire.

The Orioles used to joke with George Sherrill, who frequently created jams before escaping with the save, by proclaiming "Never in doubt, Georgie, never in doubt." Zach Britton has truly provided little reason for doubt in 2016.

Matthew Taylor blogs about the Orioles at Roar from 34. Follow him on Twitter: @RoarFrom34. His ruminations about the Birds appear as part of MASNsports.com's season-long initiative of welcoming guest bloggers to our site. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.