The New York Yankees have been patient in Dellin Betances’ quest to find a new home on a one-year deal, and while GM Brian Cashman has been quiet on that front, it doesn’t mean he’s not active.
Betances, who was one of the league’s best relief pitchers from 2014-2018, had a rough contract year in 2019, debuting in September to tear his Achilles in his first inning. This usually takes a significant amount of time to heal from, but Betances is hoping he won’t miss much of the 2020 season.
Where are the New York Yankees in the relief pitcher market?
After connections with the Mets fell through, the Minnesota Twins remain interested in the talented righty. However, his price-tag might be too high at $10 million after a slew of injuries crippled him this past season.
This could give the Yankees and Cashman an advantage in free agency, especially if he fails to find a new home in the coming weeks. Not only can Cashman offer him a fair chunk of money, but he would also be returning to a playoff-bound team and a familiar setting.
In 2018, Betances logged a 2.70 ERA with 115 strikeouts over 66 games. It was the first season in four years that he didn’t make the All-Star game, despite having better numbers than the previous two seasons. Taking a low-risk flier on him in 2020 isn’t a bad idea, and the Yankees would be silly not to explore this movement.
Cashman, though, has been dipping his hands into the Josh Hader market, trying to find a way to package several players to draw interest from the Brewers. Per reports, the Yanks are still talking with the Brewers about a potential deal for one of the game’s top relievers, but it will take an army of players to snatch him away from Milwaukee. Hader, 25, logged a 2.52 ERA in 116 games over the last two seasons, averaging 16.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The left-hander would add a diversifying arm to the bullpen, and with his dominant stuff, the Yankees would be further become one of the best team’s in all of baseball.
Again, the cost Hader will likely attract will be exponential, making Betances’ return possible.