The New York Mets could be closing in on some much-needed bullpen help with the addition of Yankees righty Dellin Betances.
According to Jack Curry of YES Network, the New York Mets are one of two favorites to land Dellin Betances. The Philadelphia Phillies are also leading contenders for Betances.
"Dellin Betances is likely to pitch elsewhere in 2020," says @JackCurryYES. pic.twitter.com/GgKaLVXRTd
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 17, 2019
As one would expect, that leaves the New York Yankees on the outside looking in. Curry reports that it’s unlikely Betances returns to the Yankees for the 2020 season.
However, due to Betances only being offered one-year contracts, it wouldn’t be impossible for the Yankees to get back into the bidding.
The Mets and Phillies make perfect sense as suitors for Betances. Both teams are in desperate need of bullpen help and both teams have ties to Betances.
The Phillies have new manager Joe Girardi, who was the Yankees manager for many years. He has a prior working relationship with Betances and has been hunting Yankees on the open market all offseason.
However, Girardi left the Yankees due to the inability to connect with his players. It’s possible that Betances might not want to return to such an environment.
The Mets’ Ace in the Hole
The Mets, on the other hand, have new manager Carlos Beltran. Beltran and Betances are very good friends. For example, when Beltran was hired by the Mets he held a celebration dinner. According to Curry, Betances was the only current player to attend the dinner.
The New York Mets’ interest in Betances isn’t a new development. The team has been connected to him on and off all offseason. However, this is the first report that labels them as favorites.
Signing Betances would be a boon for the Mets. The team is in desperate need of bullpen help and Betances would bring that. Betances’s shoulder and achilles injuries have reportedly healed well and ready to go.
If he’s healthy for 2020, Betances has a real chance to be one of the steals of the offseason. He’s been one of the elite setup men in baseball for years. Getting him on a cheap one-year deal would be a huge get for the New York Mets.
