Britton set to see hand specialist Monday
Though a recent MRI revealed no issues in Zach Britton's sore left forearm, the Baltimore Orioles' ailing closer hasn't yet been cleared to resume throwing and will meet with a hand specialist Monday, reports Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com.
Still, manager Buck Showalter said Friday that Britton is making progress, and there's a possibility the two-time All-Star could start playing catch Monday, provided all checks out with the hand specialist.
"We're moving forward," Showalter told MASN's Roch Kubatko. "Nothing to hold back his continued progress."
Ahead of Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards, Britton told reporters he was feeling good, but noted he doesn't have an exact timetable for his return yet.
Britton, a two-time All-Star who finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting last year, owns a 1.29 ERA and has converted all five of his save opportunities early on in 2017, but allowed 10 hits and three walks in seven innings (1.86 WHIP) - with a massive jump in his hard-contact rate (30.4 percent) from 2016 - before landing on the disabled list Sunday.