The Mets introduced their newest bullpen arm Dellin Betances on Thursday at Citi Field.
Betances signed a one-year deal that guarantees him $10.5 million from the Mets on Christmas Eve. The base pay for 2020 is $7.5 million with a $6 million player option for 2021 that has a $3 million buyout. The deal also includes a 2022 vesting option that is guaranteed if Betances exercises his 2021 option and pitches in at least 50 games that season.
The 31-year-old pitched in only one game last season with the Yankees. He missed that start of the season recovering from shoulder and lat issues before making his season debut on September 15. He struck out both batters he faced, but suffered a partially torn left Achilles tendon in the appearance.
Mets GM Brodie Van Waganen started the press conference by outlining their process of signing Betances, starting with talks with Dellin’s agents back in November.
They then touched based again in San Diego, as Betances has the same representatives as new Mets starter Rick Porcello. When back in New York, a group including second baseman Robinson Cano, manager Carlos Beltran, COO Jeff Wilpon, and analyst Jared Faust met in person with Betances and his agents to sell him on coming to Flushing.
Faust works in Baseball Research and Development, a role he’s had with the Mets since March of 2019. He previously worked with the Yankees.
The 6’8” former Yankees dominant reliever started out by noting his local roots, “New York is in my blood. I grew up playing in the lower east side, I went to high school in Brooklyn, in 07′ I played minor league ball in Staten Island, in 2011 I made my Major League debut in the Bronx, and now I stand here getting a chance to wear this Mets uniform and playing in Queens.”
Betances noted that he had talked to Cano, Beltran, Jeurys Familia (they have been training at the same facility) and former teammate Justin Wilson about playing for the Mets. “Beltran was always steering me to come to this team.”
Dellin noted on several occasions that he expects to be ready for Spring Training next month and that he’s been “under surveillance” of Mets doctor David Altchek this offseason as he rehabs his Achilles tendon.
The Mets bullpen currently looks like right-handers Edwin Diaz, Familia, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, Brad Brach, Michael Wacha, and Betances, and the lone lefty, Wilson.
When asked what his role might be in the Mets bullpen, Dellin was very clear, “All I care about is winning.”
