Driving up Zach Britton’s price is as beneficial to the Orioles as it is virtually every single contending team that does not land him.
The Astros are well known to have wanted Britton a year ago. But in 2017, sources said the Astros also heavily pursued Raisel Iglesias of the Reds — a cost-controlled righty who could be dealt this year.
Control is everything. A guy under contract is most valuable, hence why Brad Hand cost the Indians top catching prospect Francisco Mejia.
Iglesias, 28, cannot become a free agent until after the 2021 season, and makes $5.7 million in each of the next two seasons. He has a 2.30 ERA this year with 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Yet, it’s good for the Astros if most fan and media attention goes to Britton, just as it’s good for the Orioles.
How does this affect the Red Sox? Ultimately, a scenario where Britton ends up on the Red Sox is hard to fathom. Given the Sox' farm system, he'd probably only end up in Boston if other teams — like the Astros — didn’t see Britton as the end-all, be-all that he sometimes sounds like.
Externally and internally, the expectation is that the Sox wind up making a move to boost their bullpen by July 31, a move that one rival talent evaluator expects will be “on a smaller scale.”
The Sox are indeed also looking for starting pitching help, but with Drew Pomeranz returning Tuesday, they might be able to wait until after the non-waiver trade deadline in August to add a starter, if one is needed. Entering Tuesday, there was no sense of urgency regarding a rotation piece.
There is a sweepstakes under way for Britton, or at least a kind of sweepstakes. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN on Tuesday reported the finalists for Britton were down to four: the Astros, Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs.
The Dodgers have reportedly been in the mix too.
“Dodgers need him,” one major league source said on Tuesday.
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But this is kind of the Astros’ show to run, with their deep farm system and probably the clearest need for endgame help. The Yankees need starting pitching. The Sox can take on money but can't really deal away prospects.
“No doubt. [The Astros] can do whatever they need to do," the source said.
The Sox can play in Britton’s sandbox. Iglesias or his ilk? Forget it, unless the Sox want to nuke the remainder of the farm system.
A rental player like Britton, who is to become a free agent at the end of the season, is cheaper for the buyer.
But for a team that has the ability to make a move big or small — a team like the Astros — Britton is appealing only to a point. The bidding war gets high enough, and then you have to start considering other things. If you’re going to spend a lot, why not spend on a player that will be around for years and maybe can be traded away again someday, or bring back a draft pick?
Britton indeed has ever-valuable experience closing, and at his best, he can be one of the best. Whether he is now at his best, and will be the rest of the season is hard to know.