Yankees Editorial: Dellin Betances Is Back!

Throughout Spring Training and the early parts of 2015 season there was a ton of speculation from fans and the New York media that Dellin Betances was on a downward trend from his breakout season in 2014.

Despite the negativity, Betances always remained confident in his abilities. Every time there was a question surrounding his fastball being clocked in the low-90s instead his usual 98-100 mph range, he’d tell the media that the heat was on it’s way. When his off speed pitches landed outside of the strike zone consistently, he’d say the control was on it’s way too.

Alas, Betances has shown the baseball world that patience certainly is a virtue. After a shaky first three starts to the 2015 season, in which he walked a total of six batters and surrendered three hits in 3.1 innings pitched, it looks like the young right-hander has finally returned to form. In his last four appearances, Betances has scattered just one hit while striking out six batters in 5 innings of work.

The right-hander looked un-hittable in last outing during the Yankees 2-1 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park on Thursday. He pitched 1.1 innings and managed to get the Yankees out of a late-inning jam by getting Nick Castellanos to pop-out to first base in foul ball territory after six straight curveballs with two outs and runners on second and third. One inning later, Betances recorded a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Hernan Perez and Ian Kinsler, (hitting upwards of 98 mph on the radar gun) and getting Anthony Gose to ground out innocently back to the mound.

Thursday’s performance was a representation of all that we saw in his breakout 2014 season, in which he he set the single-season strikeout record (130) amongst Yankee relievers.

Even despite his early struggles, the Brooklyn native has yet to give up an earned run this season. His arm is peaking at the opportune time, as the Yankees are set to open up the 2015 Subway Series against their cross-town rival New York Mets on Friday night.

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