Sign up here to get Inside the Yankees delivered to your inbox each Friday morning.

Zack Britton still expects to be back in the Yankees’ bullpen at some point late this season.

If he’s able to return, the Yankees will have the star-studded pen they envisioned when they exercised his $14 million option for 2022 following the 2020 season (thereby preventing Britton from becoming a free agent that offseason).

The move hasn’t paid off yet. Britton struggled last year following an offseason bout with COVID (5.89 ERA, 14 walks in 18.1 innings) before being sidelined due to elbow issues that eventually led to season-ending surgery.