Barry Zito plans to take some time off according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. That is not meant to be read as retiring.
Zito, 35, is not planning to pitch this season after posting a 5.74 ERA across 133 1/3 innings of work last season for the San Francisco Giants.
While older players have come back it’s hard to imagine that Zito will be better off in a year.
The Giants declined an $18-million option for him in 2014 but he still made $126 million on that seven-year deal with San Francisco. It was not all bad as the Giants won two World Series, including in 2012 which was partly based on his post season success.