Dellin’s still irked by Girardi’s hook
Aday after being pulled early by Joe Girardi, Dellin Betances was still upset over his manager’s decision. Girardi replaced Betances with Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Rays on Wednesday at Citi Field.
“It definitely bothered me,” Betances said on Thursday before the Bombers beat the Orioles, 135, in the Bronx. “I think as a competitor you don’t want to be taken out of that situation, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not the manager. He thought that was the best decision.”
Betances allowed a one-out single to Evan Longoria. He struck out Logan Morrison before Girardi elected to go to the lefty Chapman to face righty Steven Souza Jr.
“I’ll talk to him, and when I do it will be very private,” Girardi said. “It’s a tough decision and I have to do what my gut tells me. That’s what I’m paid to do. I really do believe in Dellin. He’s been my eighth-inning guy. But at the time I felt when you looked at the matchup in a sense — two homers (vs. lefties) against 27 homers (vs. righties) — it’s a tough decision, there’s no doubt about it. But this is about winning games.”
Jaime Garcia was also upset that Girardi pulled him with two outs in the fifth, leaving him one out short of having a chance to get his first win as a Yankee.
“That doesn’t bother me,” Girardi said. “That’s the competitive nature (of players). I think I’d be more upset if they weren’t bothered by coming out of games (as pitchers). Because that would mean they want to come out, and that would really bother me.”
Told Betances, who was unavailable for comment following the game, was still upset a day later, Girardi responded: “That’s great. That’s really great for me, because that means he really believes in his stuff, and that’s what I want.”
Betances, who was “shocked” and “surprised” by his manager’s decision, said there was nothing that Girardi could say to change how he feels about the situation.
“I like my chances against anybody,” said Betances,who wasn’t needed on Thursday with the Bombers comfortably ahead throughout. “I don’t know if there’s an explanation I’m going to take. Today’s a new day. I’ll be ready whenever my name is called upon.”
Betances, 29, is 3-6 with a 3.09 ERA and 10 saves in 13 opportunities in 60 games. In 55.1 innings, he’s struck out 97 and walked 41. Betances has had an up-and-down year, battling control issues while mixing in stints of dominance.
Betances has been an AL AllStar in each of the last four seasons.
OF NOTE
The Yankees were slated to honor executive Gene Michael on Thursday, and put his No. 17 from his Yankee playing days on the field. But because of sound system issues, the team will honor Michael on Friday. Michael, the architect of the Bombers’ dynasty title teams in the late 1990s, died of a heart attack at age 79 a week ago. … Greg Bird (back spasms) will be back in the lineup on Friday, Joe Girardi said. Bird hadn’t played since Sunday before flying out to deep right in a pinchhitting appearance on Thursday. … Aaron Hicks (oblique) is also battling an illness, though Girardi doesn’t think it’s going to slow his progress from the injury. Brett Gardner and Starlin Castro both got routine days off. … Jacoby Ellsbury, who led off, is hitting .417 with five RBI and 13 runs in his last 13 games. … Masahiro Tanaka (7 IP, 2 ER) recorded his 150th combined win between MLB (51) and Japan (99). … Yankees pitchers set an all-time single-season franchise record for strikeouts (1,401).