Zack Britton, 36, a top closer who once dominated the Major League Baseball mound, has announced his retirement after finally being unable to overcome injuries.
Britton announced his retirement today (Nov. 21), ending a 12-year major league career, according to The Athletic.굿모닝토토 도메인
The reason for the retirement is injury. Britton returned last year after undergoing elbow ligament splicing surgery (Tommy John surgery) in September 2021, only to be sidelined again by injury.
He was unable to return to a major league mound this season and ultimately chose to retire at the age of 36, relatively early in modern baseball.
Britton was one of the best closers in baseball during his time with the Baltimore Orioles. His best season came in 2016, when he posted a 0.54 ERA.
In that season, Britton pitched 67 innings in 69 games, posting a 2-1 record, 47 saves, and a 0.54 ERA. His average velocity reached 97.2 mph.
Britton was then traded to the New York Yankees in the middle of the 2018 season, and he had a solid 2019 with 29 saves and a 1.91 ERA.
However, his performance dropped off dramatically in the 2021 season, and he was unable to overcome his injuries after Tommy John surgery and eventually retired.
In 442 career games (46 starts), Britton threw 641 innings, compiling a 35-26 record, 154 saves, 61 shutouts, and a 3.13 ERA. He has 532 strikeouts.
A two-time American League All-Star, he won the Mariano Rivera Award, given to the top reliever, in 2016 after posting career-high numbers.