Orioles' Britton throws off mound for 1st time since surgery
The Baltimore Orioles are inching closer toward a reunion with injured closer Zach Britton.
The left-hander threw off a half-mound at Camden Yards on Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair his Achilles tendon in December.
"When I started walking again, and then jumping, those were big moments for me,'' Britton told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. "I had a little party in the gym for myself when that happened. Those were big things to get over mentally. But today was pretty big for me, getting back on the mound and pitching."
Initially expected to miss the first half of the season, Britton hopes he'll be able to return around the time his stint on the 60-day disabled list comes to a close in late May. He didn't provide an exact timetable, but did say the progress has been encouraging.
"We're doing really well with the timeline. We've knocked out a lot of things well before we were supposed to. Once I get in a couple of bullpens and full mounds, we'll probably have a better understanding of what we want to do,'' he said.
Britton had established himself as one of baseball's premier relievers before injuries derailed his 2017 season. From 2014 to 2016, he posted a 1.38 ERA across 209 innings while registering 120 saves. He even converted an American League record 60 consecutive save opportunities from 2015 until early '17.
Right-hander Brad Brach has taken over the ninth-inning role in Britton's absence, posting a 2.35 ERA with three saves in four chances.