Dellin Betances feels like he has something to prove to Mets fans
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Dellin Betances is not the reliever he once was, when he consistently avoided injuries and put up All-Star numbers for the Yankees from 2014-18. In the past two years alone he’s struggled with Achilles, shoulder and lat injuries that significantly impacted his velocity and overall performance on the mound.
Really, Mets fans haven’t even seen a flash of the dominant Betances that brought down the house in the Bronx. This season, as Betances said he feels “tremendously better” than last year when he was still recovering from a partial tear of his left Achilles, he feels like he has something to prove to the Queens faithful.
“For me, last year was a disappointing year,” Betances said Wednesday in his first press conference of the year. “Obviously, I wasn’t healthy and it was a short season and a weird year for sure. For me, yes, I definitely have something to prove. This is pretty much a brandnew team and I haven’t been able to pitch in front of the Mets fans at home. It’s something I’m looking forward to and I’m excited.”
Betances, 32, pitched in 15 games for the Mets in 2020’s shortened pandemic season with no fans in the stands. Mostly appearing in the seventh and eighth innings, he labored through his outings before missing almost all of September with another lat issue. From 2019 with the Yankees to 2020 with the Mets, Betances has recorded a 7.30 ERA in 16 games and 121⁄3 innings. In his career, he has a 2.52 ERA and 1.073 WHIP since 2011.
“I want to win the fan base over,” Betances said, as he enters his second year on the Mets. “I was able to do that with the Yankees, but I haven’t done it here. Nothing with the Mets. So for me, I have to win the fan base over and just do my job. That’s the ultimate thing for me.”
Betances can’t promise his typical high 90’s velocity will return to how powerful it was in the Bronx. He said “it’s tough to say” whether his fastball can hit that mark. But his new biomechanics work in the offseason is giving Betances hope that he can still be effective — even if he’s not striking guys out with 99 mph heaters. So now he’s focused on his fastball command, which was cutting too much last season.
So far in camp, Betances has thrown two bullpen sessions. The real test for his fastball command and carry will be on Friday when he’s scheduled to pitch a live batting practice session. He’s looking for swings and misses this week to prove that his offseason work has blended into spring training.
When Betances is at his best, he’s a workhorse and innings-eater. Over five seasons from 2014-18, the righthander averaged 68 relief appearances and 73 innings per every 162 games. The Washington Heights native will try to return to that production this year.