The question this year for the New York Yankees was, “how do you recover from the loss of the greatest closer in the game?” David Robertson has done a terrific job in Mariano Rivera’s absence, but has another reliever taken the spotlight in the Bronx?
Dellin Betances has had a good start to his rookie campaign. Though he has a four pitch repertoire, including a fastball, curveball, sinker and a changeup, he uses just two pitches. As a two pitch pitcher, the adjustment to the big leagues is not easy. But this flame-throwing right-hander makes pitching look easy as his first months in 2014 have resulted in a 1.43 ERA/ 1.07 FIP/ 0.750 WHIP/ 14.7 K/9. He relies primarily on his fastball and curve to induce mostly groundballs. However, Betances is also succeeding to strike batters out, as he has 72 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched this season.
The Yankees do not have the strongest infield defense in 2014, yet Betances has relied on his teammates to help him with the batted balls in play. Opponents have averaged only a .133 batting against him, and has a .247 BABIP. Is this a result of the defense behind him, or of his pitch location?
Betances has allowed 20 hits, seven runs (all earned), one home run, 13 walks, one balk, one hit batter and one wild pitch in his 44 innings of work. He has worked multiple innings on several occasions for Joe Girardi. With the Yankees struggles in the rotation and Betances’ history as a starting pitcher, should the Yankees stretch him back out as a starter given his success? The answer is no.
Looking at Betances’ history, it appears that he has just begun to figure things out. So right now is not the time to start messing with him. Whatever clicked for him this year, keep him in the role he is in now. Do the Yankees need additional starters? Yes. With injuries to CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Michael Pineda, and needing to give Masahiro Tanaka any extra days rest possible, the starting rotation is in dire need of a veteran or reliable pitcher (CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda, Sports Injury Alert Profile). Unfortunately, Dellin Betances is not the right guy to fill that role.
Should David Robertson leave the Bronx in free agency at the end of the 2014 season, or sooner via trade, Betances could be a candidate to fill the closer role. Though he most likely will not be the next Mariano Rivera (because there will never be another Mo), he has some impressive stuff right now. It may not last his entire career. It may not even last the rest of this season. But Betances has figured something out and it is working for now. Until batters adjust to it and figure him out, Yankee fans can sit back and enjoy watching the fastball/curveball mix from the flame-thrower.
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