Yankees Pitcher Lost 18 pounds With COVID-19, How The Virus 'Wiped Out' Zack Britton

It’s been a rough few months for New York Yankees pitcher Zack Britton. The reliever will undergo elbow surgery only shortly after he finally felt fully recovered from the effects of COVID-19.

“I came in [to camp] having lost a lot of weight from COVID in the offseason, a little bit behind anyway,” Britton told reporters on Wednesday. “So adding this to that, it’s been a pretty frustrating couple of weeks. But I’m gonna get it taken care of, and I’m gonna be able to pitch this year and help the team. That’s the most important thing.”

Britton tested positive for COVID-19 in January. He believes he contracted the virus while in the hospital where his wife was having a baby.

“Right after I got it, it was difficult to work out,” Britton said. “My stamina [was down] and I was out of breath quite a bit. The doctors said I was all right. … For me, my body wasn’t a big fan of getting [COVID-19].”

The 33-year-old said that he lost 18 pounds and the coronavirus “wiped” him out for about 10 days.

“I was not expecting to get hit that hard by COVID,” Britton said. “I did a lot of research on it when it started really spreading and I knew I didn’t want it. … It definitely wasn’t something I was taking lightly.”

Yankees pitchers and catchers reported to spring training by Feb. 17. Britton is gearing up for Opening Day, which is scheduled for April 1.

Surgery to remove a bone chip in his left elbow will force Britton to be shut down for six weeks, according to SNY’s Andy Martino. Once the reliever is finished with rehab and ready to pitch in a regular-season game, Britton might have missed 3-4 months.

Britton has been among the most effective relievers in the American League since 2014. In a shortened 2020 season, he appeared in 20 games for the Yankees.