Zach Britton. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Red Sox have 59 games left in the regular season and just a five-game advantage on the Yankees with 10 head-to-head meetings remaining, starting next week. The race got a little more interesting last night when New York acquired former Baltimore All-Star closer Zach Britton for three minor league pitchers.
The price was a little high for the Sox, who remain in need of bullpen relief before Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline.
Britton has a 3.45 ERA in 16 games this season after being limited by an Achilles injury. He said it's hard leaving the Orioles after spending his entire eight-year career with the franchise.
"I'm definitely sad to be leaving," he said. "I mean, i'm looking forward to the opportunity to win some games again, but, you know, it's never going to be easy coming back here and playing against these guys especially."
Britton has 139 career saves and joins Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances and David Robertson in a bullpen that paces the majors in ERA, strikeouts per nine innings, and opposing average. The lefty just wants to fit in.
"I mean, I'm not there yet," he said. "I know what the feeling's like, when you're a winning ball club and you get in the clubhouse, you can kind of feel it. Hopefully I can just step right in and do a good job."
Britton will be a free agent this winter.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports