BALTIMORE -- Orioles closer Zach Britton had a stem-cell injection in his left knee on Friday, a move that will likely end the left-hander's 2017 season.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter wouldn't officially say whether Britton will get another outing, though he will rest for several days, and the team will evaluate how he takes the injection. Britton last appeared Monday, pitching a scoreless inning against Boston.
"Is it realistic? I don't want to handicap it," Showalter said of Britton taking the mound again this year. "We've talked about it. We're going to proceed like, 'OK, where we are in three to five days ... You've got to say, 'OK, is it important to or not, or is the rest more important?' When he gets to the point where he says, 'OK, I think I can do it,' then we're going to weigh the risks and rewards."
Britton went 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 38 games this season. He missed significant time with a forearm injury and pitched 37 1/3 innings with 15 saves. He suffered two blown saves this season, the first of which snapped a Major League record of 60 consecutive conversions. The lefty ranks second among Orioles relievers in club history with 135 saves.