Zack Britton is officially retiring from baseball after a 12-year big league career, the 35-year-old pitcher said in an exclusive interview with The Athletic earlier this month. Britton was a two-time All-Star with three 30-save seasons, including an American League-leading season in 2016. He spent seven and a half seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and the following four and a half with the New York Yankees. The left-hander finished his career with 154 saves, a record of 35-26 and a 3.13 ERA in 442 games (641 innings).
Britton said he started thinking about ending his career in 2022 after returning from Tommy John rehab to try to help the Yankees in the playoffs. Britton appeared in three regular season games and recorded just two outs. He had to withdraw from his final appearance on September 30 due to arm fatigue and was placed back on the injured list the following day. He wouldn’t throw another pitch in the big leagues.
“My last outing was against the Orioles. As a final throw, I threw a ball to the backstop; I think about it and it sucks,” said Britton, who cited a desire to spend more time with his four children as the reason for his retirement. “From a professional perspective, it may not have been perfect or had a good outcome, but you can’t always choose. My gut told me it was time to see what life was like on the other side.”
Britton, a third-round draft pick by Baltimore in 2006, credits his longevity in the MLB to hard work and luck. Asked what he would tell his 18-year-old self about the journey, Britton said: “It’s going to be a lot harder than I thought playing in the majors for a long time. Whether it was injuries or the mental component, it was 12 months of the year training, playing and trying to get an edge over the people chasing a job.
“I would tell myself it really eats away at your friendships and your family. Everyone talks about the money and of course the reward is worth it because you get to play young and take care of your family and parents. (But that) doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult. I think the best thing that happened to me was having Courtney (my wife), even though it was mentally difficult for me to be there and not think about baseball all the time. The most important thing is the people you surround yourself with outside of the game because this sport can be brutally honest.”
He and Courtney met when they were in elementary school. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a law degree in 2012 and supported Britton while he played in the minor leagues. She worked until they had children and gave up her career so Zack could pursue his. Her four children are now 9, 7, 4 and 2 years old.
Britton cited his desire to spend more time with his wife and children as his reason for retirement. (Courtesy of the Britton family)
“(Courtney) had accomplished things and lagged behind me all these years,” Britton said. “My personality, I couldn’t imagine doing that for someone, giving up everything to pursue your career, is really selfless. She doesn’t get any awards, nobody writes about her. Sometimes I thought I was sacrificing a lot, but from the perspective of what she did for me? I couldn’t repay her even if I had five lives.”
Outside of his family, Britton credits the Orioles’ minor leagues with helping him mature as a player and person as he traveled through small towns, stayed with host families and saw different parts of the country. His mentors included minor league managers Lenny Johnston and Kennie Steenstra — As a young father, Steenstra Britton served as a role model for what being a good father in sports might look like. “If there was one man who had the biggest influence on me, it was him,” Britton said.
Also holding a special position are former Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace and former Orioles bullpen coach Dom Chiti, who worked extensively with Britton in their first year together in 2014 – when he moved to the bullpen and became one of the most dominant arms in the game. Britton still talks to both of them and remembers the coach’s first offseason trip to visit him in California, when he had no other choice and was unsure whether his career would ever really take off.
Former Orioles manager Brady Anderson encouraged Britton to make the hire: “This is your career; Take responsibility for it.” Britton says he never put in more work than he did this winter and subsequent spring training before the 2014 season. If he didn’t make the Orioles out of camp, he hoped some team would betray him. Courtney was pregnant and Britton knew he had to go all out in his career. It worked: He made the Orioles’ Opening Day roster and recorded his first save on May 15. With a devastating sinker, he converted 37 of 41 saves as the team’s first closer this season and made two saves in the O’s AL following the Detroit Tigers’ season Division Series win.
“Playing for the Yankees was special and being able to take my family to the All-Star Games was also really cool,” Britton said. “But when I look back on my career, I think what I’m most proud of is this offseason and how I handled a time that was crucial for me.”
Britton was an All-Star in 2015 and ranked third in the AL in saves. The following season, he allowed just four earned runs over 67 innings (69 games), breaking the MLB record for lowest ERA in a season (0.54) by a pitcher (minimum 50 innings). Britton made 43 appearances without giving up an earned run and continued his save streak dating back to September 2015 by converting in all 47 chances with a .836 whip. His winning streak ended in August 2017 with 60. During this offseason, Britton suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon that kept him out until mid-June. The Yankees took advantage of him anyway, acquiring him at the July trade deadline in exchange for Dillon Tate, Cody Carroll and Josh Rogers. Britton re-signed to a three-year contract with an option before 2019, in part because general manager Brian Cashman showed confidence in him in the midseason deal. The other part was that Britton wanted a ring more than he wanted to boost his save numbers, so he took New York’s offer rather than have the chances of closing elsewhere.
“When you put on that uniform and walk into the clubhouse, you realize the history,” Britton said of playing in pinstripes. “The whole experience of being a Yankee is impressive. You play for one of the most prestigious sports teams in the world; The way they treat you and the things you get – I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. I wish I had won a World Series there. I wish I hadn’t been hurt as badly as I was. That was something special.”
Britton had a sub-2 ERA in 2019 and a pandemic-shortened 2020 before injuries became an issue. In March 2021, he underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery. Six months later, Britton underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery after struggling with a 5.89 ERA in 18 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, he experienced the lowest moment of his career: a failed save in the Field of Dreams game in Iowa.
“I remember smashing my iPad,” Britton said. “I didn’t pitch well, I knew I needed Tommy John and you just want to step up for your team. (Former Orioles manager) Buck (Showalter) used to say, “You’re never defined by your worst moment,” and I thought about it the next day. If this is my worst moment in the big leagues, then I’ve had a hell of a career. This quote always stayed with me. I don’t think Bucks (managerial career) should be defined by me not playing in a game (in the Orioles’ 2016 AL Wild Card loss in Toronto). I have a lot of respect for Buck and that quote really helped me get over that botched save.”
Britton was a two-time All-Star with the Orioles and posted three 30-save seasons during his time with the Orioles. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Britton — who served on the players’ union subcommittee for years — loves learning about other parts of the game. He asks front office members a lot of questions and said he has become familiar with baseball’s larger ecosystem through union membership and collective bargaining. Asked how he would fix a fourth-place Yankees team that hasn’t won a World Series since 2009, Britton said New York needs to get its aura back.
“When I was with the Orioles, you were afraid to play them. They had so much talent. The way they presented themselves, you wouldn’t want to go to New York because they were so imposing, and I feel like we lost a little bit of that when I was there,” Britton said. “How do you come back to that? In my opinion, the Yankees should get the best players with their budget. They’ve really built powerhouses to a certain extent to make it a place where people want to play. I remember people saying, “Oh, I don’t want to go to New York,” and that blew my mind.
“That was the most eye-opening thing for me, talking to opposing players and having them say, ‘It’s not the same coming in there; It’s not as intimidating as a place.’ When I was a young player, the highlight was playing for the Yankees because they were so good. I don’t know how to win them back, but those (older) teams beat you in so many ways. They were so round. It wasn’t, “Oh, let’s just leave it in the stadium.” They could beat you to death, steal a base, or escape. I think they have to find a way to get back there.”
Britton hasn’t ruled out having a future in baseball one day – perhaps in the front office – but for now he’s looking forward to the break. His children seem happier with him at home in Texas, Courtney told him, and that has helped him feel comfortable with the decision. Last spring, Britton worked as a free agent for several teams. He had a few offers, but his heart wasn’t 100 percent in it. In March, he had a conversation with his agent Scott Boras that sealed the deal.
“Scott said, ‘You’ll never regret spending more time with your kids.’ And that really impressed us,” Britton said. “From him, I said, ‘Wow, okay, maybe the things I’m feeling are good things.’ I did everything I wanted to do in that game except win a World Series. I played a lot longer than I thought. A lot of it is luck, let’s face it. There are many talented players who are not allowed to play for twelve years. I am very grateful for that. Honestly, it was the trip that was special. I’ve never been great at being good at two things, and now it’s time to focus on my family.”
(Top photo: by Elsa / Getty Images)