VIDEO: Zack Britton Pulled From Saturday's Game and Leaves Mound Limping With Apparent Cramp
By Adam Weinrib
The Yankees have thrived on a "next man up" mentality, and have done yeoman's work in maintaining a 10-game AL East lead, under duress all year long. They haven't lost a significant bullpen piece since Dellin Betances went down in Spring Training, however...though that may have just changed. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Zack Britton was pulled following his 3-1 pitch to Marcus Semien, and limped off the mound towards the dugout.
Zack Britton is leaving the game with Steve Donohue. So, that's something. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/gPeGRapItf
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) August 31, 2019
For someone who's missed extended time with achilles issues the past few years, and was fully recovered midway through 2018, the worry is that something came loose in a previously troublesome area.
The team, however, announced it as "calf cramping".
Zack Britton left with right calf cramping. #Yankees
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) August 31, 2019
Though Britton's fought slight control issues in 2019, he's also been nails for the Yankees when called upon, going 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA in 53.2 innings pitched. Though Betances anticipates returning in the not-so-distant future, this is still bordering on disastrous for a team hoping to get more bullpen outs than rotation outs this October.