Dellin Betances
AP Photo

The New York Yankees suffered another setback when it was announced relief pitcher Dellin Betances will be sidelined for another 6-7 weeks.

When it rains, it pours.

Dellin Betances suffered a setback during his rehab on Thursday, adding another player to the crowded New York Yankees shelf.

Betances was sidelined on March 19 with a right shoulder impingement and placed on the injured list to begin 2019 on March 28. Things were looking up for the set-up man until Thursday when something didn’t feel right in a simulated game he threw in.

On Friday, an MRI revealed a lingering spur in the back of his ailing right shoulder.

Provided he has no setbacks along the way, the timetable, courtesy of Bryan Hoch’s tweet, is roughly two months until he is back in action

And two and a half week into the season, fingers are getting ever so close to pressing that panic button.

The mind-boggling state of the active Yankees IR could make a solid club in its own right. Right now it’s about weathering the storm. The team has almost half it’s active starting 25 on the injured list, following the Friday news of Gary Sanchez.

Betances is an intricate part of a bullpen that has seen better days. The Yankees have led in 10 or more games this season only to see the bullpen blow the contest. With the injuries and an aging starting rotation, the bullpen has been taxed and arguably overworked to begin 2019. There’s the reason to believe the number of innings early on will have an impact come the dog days of August.

New York ranks 15th in total bullpen ERA (4.34). Remember, they were fourth last season among team bullpen ERA at 3.38. The addition of Adam Ottavino and the retaining of Zack Britton should have been more than enough, but presently, the latter has looked shaky along with countless others.

In order for this team to contend, it must survive for the next two months. A strength of this team is their bullpen and late-inning shutdown guys. Betances is among the group if not the best setup man in baseball.

The New York Yankees must live more life without him now and most importantly, simply survive.


I am currently enrolled at Montclair State University as a senior studying Sports Media and Journalism. I spend most of my days when I'm not at school; writing, podcasting, and preparing for my radio show. Thus meaning my life is sports. I spend almost all my time in and around sports because it is my life. I am an eternal, die-hard Yankees fan, along with Jets, Knicks and Rangers. I am 23 years of age and live in Central New Jersey (if people still consider a Central NJ).