Betances still upset with getting pulled early in win fred.kerber@nypost.com
Yankees manager Joe Girardi reiterated Thursday he would be upset with his pitchers if they were not bothered by being yanked.
Suffice to say Girardi won’t be upset with Dellin Betances.
One day after he was removed with two out and one on in the eighth inning, Betances still seemed bothered by the move, which he admitted ticked him off and left him frustrated when it happened. And Betances said there really was no explanation to soothe the issue.
“It definitely bothered me. I’m not going to say it didn’t bother me,” Betances said before the Yankees beat the Orioles 13-5 in The Bronx.
“Whatever he tells me as an explanation, I like my chances against anybody but it’s his choice,” said Betances, an All-Star four years running. “I don’t know there’s an explanation that I’m [going to] take. He felt like that was the best decision and we won the game. At the end of the day that’s what matters.”
On Wednesday, with the score at 3-1 against the Rays, Betances entered in the eighth and got Lucas Duda on a flyout, gave up a single to Evan Longoria then struck out Logan Morrison. With righty hitting Steven Souza due up, Girardi summoned Aroldis Chapman. A run scored in the eighth, but the Yankees won 3-2.
“I just struck out the last guy, a righty was coming up so I’m not going to be happy about being taken out the game,” said Betances, who was “shocked” and “surprised” — plus “upset” — by the move.
“As a competitor, you don’t want to get taken out that situation there. But there’s nothing I can do. I’m not the manager. He thought that was the best decision and he went with it.”
Though Thursday was “a new day” and Betances, who did not pitch, said he was “fine” the day after — the Yankees won, which both sides presented as the bottom line — he still seemed to be stewing. Girardi had said he would talk to his reliever if necessary.
“I will [talk to him]. When I do, it will be very private,” said Girardi, who also ruffled starter Jaime Garcia, lifting him one out shy of a win in the fifth inning Wednesday. “It’s a tough decision. I have to do what my gut tells me. That’s what I’m paid to do. I really believe in him. He’s been my eighth-inning guy. He’s been my closer this year.
“It’s a tough decision, no doubt about it. But this is about winning games. It’s not April, May, June or July. I’m going to have to make some other tough decisions as we move forward.”
Girardi stressed he hopes Betances leaves it behind and does not carry any chip with him.
“I hope not. And that doesn’t bother me because that’s the competitive nature,” Girardi said. “As I said, I think I’d be more upset if they weren’t bothered by coming out of games as pitchers.”