Buck Showalter was not pleased to learn that his top reliever this season, Zach Britton, was not a finalist for the AL Cy Young award.
The three finalists for the award were announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. They include three starters — Corey Kluber, Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander.
Showalter told MASN’s Roch Kubatko that Britton not being included was “shocking.” He then questioned the voters for only going with starters and leaving out Baltimore’s dominant closer.
“That’s a real poor reflection on the people who are evaluating him. God bless the three guys in front of him. They were doing it every fifth day and he’s doing it every day. I’m not so sure any of those guys could do what Zach does,” Showalter told Kubatko.
Showalter then went as far as saying Britton should be in consideration for the AL MVP award.
“This guy had maybe the best year in the history of relief pitching. He should have finished in the top three in MVP, OK? He should. There’s nobody in baseball who’s more valuable to their team than Zach Britton is to the Orioles.”
“What do you think our record is without Zach Britton,” Showalter asked. “You could make a case for him being the Most Valuable Player in the American League this year. He had an historic ERA and he’s not in the top three. Are you (kidding) me? He does it every night. He’s like an everyday player. That’s even more reason. You cannot win without people like him.”
Britton, who turns 29 next month, truly found his calling when the Orioles switched him from a starter to a closer in 2014. He’s enjoyed three excellent seasons since then, including his brilliant 2016 season, in which he posted a 0.54 ERA, 74 strikeouts and 47 saves in 67 innings. His ERA was better than any posted by Mariano Rivera and Eric Gagne, who once won the Cy Young award as a closer with the Dodgers. However, both Rivera and Gagne posted multiple seasons with a higher WAR (wins above replacement player) than Britton had this season, all because they pitched more innings in the given seasons.
Though Showalter is sticking up for his guy — rightfully so — it’s hard to say a pitcher who only pitches 67 innings is more valuable than a guy like Verlander, who pitched nearly three and a half times more innings.
