masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgWhile Orioles left-hander Zach Britton awaits his Cy Young fate, he’s been recognized as the best reliever in the American League.
Insert Captain Obvious reference here. The use of the word “duh” also is permissible.
Britton received the Mariano Rivera Award tonight that goes to the top AL reliever. The Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen was given the NL’s version, named after Trevor Hoffman.
It would have been a major upset for Britton to be denied.

In case you missed it, here’s what I wrote about…

While Orioles left-hander Zach Britton awaits his Cy Young fate, he’s been recognized as the best reliever in the American League.

Insert Captain Obvious reference here. The use of the word “duh” also is permissible.

Britton received the Mariano Rivera Award tonight that goes to the top AL reliever. The Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen was given the NL’s version, named after Trevor Hoffman.

It would have been a major upset for Britton to be denied.

zach-britton-all-star-game-2016.jpg

In case you missed it, here’s what I wrote about him this morning:

Britton recorded 47 consecutive saves this season, going 47-for-47. According to STATS, Britton has the longest save streak in as many chances to start a season by a left-handed pitcher in major league history and ranks third all-time. He led the AL and tied for second in the majors in saves and his 0.54 ERA – four earned runs in 67 innings was the lowest in history among pitchers with at least 50 innings.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two other pitchers in history have posted an ERA below 1.00 in a season with at least 40 saves – Dennis Eckersley in 1990 (0.61, 48 saves) and Fernando Rodney in 2012 (0.60, 48 saves).

Britton is the active major league leader with 49 consecutive saves dating back to Oct. 1, 2015. He stranded 16 of 18 inherited runners this season, and ranked first among all relievers in groundball/fly ball ratio (9.77) and in groundball percentage (79.4).

The Indians’ Andrew Miller and Blue Jays’ Roberto Osuna were the runners-up.

The Cy Young winners will be announced on Nov. 16.

Update: “I think it’s a credit to the teammates around me,” Britton said at a news conference at Wrigley Field. “Obviously, you’re only as good as the guys behind you on the field. Me relying on ground balls, obviously we have a great defense back there, so a lot of the credit goes to the teammates putting me in situations to be successful, too.

“The coaching staff, everyone really went out of their way to put me in situations to be successful and that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. You’re only as good as the guys around you.”