New York Yankees left-handed reliever Zack Britton underwent an MRI on his throwing elbow Monday due to discomfort he had been feeling of late while throwing.
Early indications are it is not an issue with the UCL, and therefore, any fear of Tommy John surgery is not there.
Britton also revealed he contracted COVID-19 in January and is still trying to put back on the weight he lost during the illness. It has been an uphill battle for him recovery-wise, and he says he still has lasting effects from the disease.
Britton has been an outstanding investment for the Yankees since he signed a four-year, $53 million deal the offseason following being traded from rival Baltimore in 2018. He followed up his 1.91 ERA in 2019 with a 1.89 ERA in the COVID-19-shortened 2020.
His strikeout and walk numbers are in line with his career norms, and therefore, it appears for now we can expect Britton to perform just as well at age 33.
If the MRI comes back clean, it is likely that the Yankees will have him progress his way back to the mound. It seems unlikely at this point, with him trying to get back into shape coupled with the elbow discomfort, that he will break camp on the roster.
Bruce Making Case For Opening Day Roster
It is hard to believe outfielder Jay Bruce is only about to turn 34 years old. As he about to enter his 14th season in the Major Leagues, he is trying his best to prove his health and worth to the Yankees this spring.
Bruce smacked his second home run of the spring Monday as he continues to show he is healthy and ready to take on a bench role for the Bronx Bombers.
The veteran outfielder has had trouble staying on the field in recent years with various injuries, including only 26 games in 2020 for the Phillies.
Once a staple in the Cincinnati Reds lineup, Bruce has bounced around the league a bit. Since being traded from the Reds to the Mets in 2016, Bruce has played for the Indians, Mets again, Mariners and Phillies.
Now he attempts to catch on with the Yankees and be a left-handed compliment to their right-handed-heavy lineup. Bruce has shown he still has a lot of pop when healthy.
Since the start of the 2018 season, he has played in 224 games and smacked 41 home runs and 39 doubles.
Mets Lose Slugger Martinez To Knee Injury
Jose Martinez will be out for at least four months following surgery for a torn meniscus suffered after running into the first base umpire in a spring training game Monday.
Martinez, who is known for his powerful swing and not his defense, was going to spend time on the Mets bench this season playing first base and corner outfield in a reserve role.
The Mets will now need someone from within the organization to step up and fill that role, or they may have to wait and see what shakes out from spring training cuts in the coming weeks.
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