Betances unaware of trade rumors
Dellin Betances said he hasn’t been closely following the Yankees’ search for Joe Girardi’s replacement or checking the internet to see if his name has been linked to trade rumors.
Betances did mention Rob Thomson, the club’s bench coach and the first man interviewed by general manager Brian Cashman to replace Girardi, would be a popular choice.
“A lot of guys like to work with him,’’ Betances said of Thomson, who has been in the Yankees’ organization for 28 years and a big-league coach for the past 12. “I know Aaron Boone from ESPN.’’
As for Girardi, Betances said, “Obviously Girardi has been with me the whole way. He is all I have known.’’
Betances spoke Tuesday at the Cesar Presbott Foundation turkey giveaway on East Tremont Ave in The Bronx. Presbott is the Yankees scout who signed Betances.
Though Betances made the AL AllStar team for the fourth straight season in 2016, there were some speed bumps along the way. In a 15-game span from Aug. 25 to Sept. 29 he worked 12 2/3 innings, walked 11 and posted a 4.97 ERA. In five postseason games Betances threw four frames and had a 4.50 ERA and issued five walks.
It was the second straight season Betances tailed off at the end of the year. What was puzzling was Betances’ innings (59 2/3) and appearances (66) were career lows and his 44 walks a career high. He did fan 100 in those 59 2/3 innings.
With the Yankees promising to get under next season’s $197 million luxury-tax threshold they could see what Betances, who turns 30 in March, would bring in a deal. After filing for $5 million in arbitration last year and getting beaten, Betances made $3 million in 2017 when he went 3-6 with a 2.87 ERA.
He could ask for $7 million-$8 million in his second crack at arbitration and at some point, no matter if Betances wins or loses, could become too expensive.
“I haven’t paid attention to what’s happening. I haven’t been checking on line,’’ Betances said when asked about his Yankees future. “I don’t know though. Right now I am with the team.’’