Mets sign reliever Dellin Betances

Joe Rivera

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Mets sign reliever Dellin Betances image

The Mets have added to their bullpen.

The Mets on Christmas Eve reportedly agreed to terms with free agent reliever Dellin Betances, the team announced on Tuesday.

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Betances switches the D-train for the 7-line, spending his entire career with the crosstown rival Yankees before signing with the Mets. In his career, Betances pitched to a 2.36 ERA almost exclusively out of the bullpen, making a single start in 2011, his first taste of major-league action.

Betances is coming off a rough season in which he only pitched 2/3 of an inning on Sept. 15 after dealing with shoulder injuries during the season. An Achilles injury sustained in that sole appearance sidelined him for the rest of the season.

This move helps a Mets bullpen, which was among the worst in the majors last season. Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen attempted to fix their bullpen prior to the 2019 season by trading for Edwin Diaz, a move that didn't exactly work out in Diaz's first season in Queens; Diaz pitched to a 5.59 ERA in 66 games and had issues closing games throughout the season.

Betances should slot nicely into the late-innings for the Mets in a bullpen that features Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Justin Wilson and Seth Lugo.

Joe Rivera

Joe Rivera Photo

Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

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