Zack Britton is out not just for this year, but potentially next season, as well.
The left-hander underwent “essentially” Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday.
Boone called it “reconstruction” of the UCL, and Britton had another bone chip removed by Dr. Neil ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
Asked if next season was in jeopardy for Britton, Boone said, “We’ll see.”
The manager initially said he wasn’t going to speculate on a potential return next season, but added, “There’s some optimism he could be back toward the end of next year.”
It’s another blow to the Yankees and Britton, who had his $13 million option for 2022 picked up before this season thanks to a clause in his contract.
Britton dealt with a COVID-19 diagnosis last offseason, followed by elbow surgery to remove bone chips during spring training that sidelined the 33-year-old until June.
A hamstring injury suffered shortly after his return kept Britton out for nearly another month.
And when Britton was on the mound, he didn’t come close to matching the results he’d had for most of his career with the Yankees and Orioles.
Now, they can’t expect much from him next season, either.
Luke Voit has only started twice in the Yankees’ last six games and he hadn’t fared well in his reserve role, going 1-for-10 with a walk and three strikeouts. He wasn’t in the lineup Thursday, but pinch hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and homered. It was the third pinch-hit homer of Voit’s career.
Asked if he wanted to get Voit more at-bats, Boone said, “Of course.”
But he also pointed to the next three games at Citi Field against the Mets, where there won’t be a DH. Anthony Rizzo will no doubt be at first, leaving Voit to pinch-hitting duties again.
Gleyber Torres was back in Thursday’s lineup after being held out for two straight games following defensive miscues in consecutive games earlier in the week. He went hitless and is 3-for-19 with no extra-base hits since returning from a sprained left thumb. Torres had been replaced at shortstop by Andrew Velazquez, who made a throwing error in Wednesday’s defeat.
Torres called it a “frustrating” season on Wednesday, as he’s been unable to get going offensively and been subpar at short.
Gio Urshela went 1-for-4 with an infield single, and Boone said the third baseman has been “in-between” at the plate since returning from a hand injury. … Gary Sanchez homered for the fourth time in seven games after going without a homer in his previous 20 games, the longest drought of his career.