Marysol Castro, writer and PA Announcer for the New York Mets, spoke with Dellin Betances about his recent signing and what he is looking forward to this season.
Betances signed with the Mets on Christmas Eve to a one-year deal worth $10.5 million with a player option for 2021. The former Yankee reliever spoke about his decision to join the Mets, “It just kinda worked out.”
“Beltran becoming the manager, him throwing my name to management, just over and over” he added.
According to Betances, Beltran had a big role in the reunion of him and his former teammate, and now manager.
Betances told Castro that he and the Beltran family had multiple dinners together this offseason. His deal with the Mets came to fruition from Carlos Beltran‘s constant push toward management for the deal, the conversations he had with current Mets players, like Robinson Cano who spoke very highly of the organization, and the sales pitch from Brodie Van Wagenen–he was sold,
“It just worked out perfectly,” Betances said.
But what can fans expect from the New York native in 2020? “A guy that likes to win.”
“I know what the team we have is capable of, and I enjoy winning. And I’m going to be the best version of myself to help the team” he said.
Betances and Castro went on to discuss the switch from the American League to the National League and what that entails for him personally, especially in such a stacked division like the NL East, “The competition is obviously great. I feel like competition brings the best out in me and I’m excited.”
The interview ended with a personal question from Castro, something she asked Beltran when he first started with the Mets, asking about what it means to be Latino and play for the Mets, “It’s an honor.”
“We got a great fan base here in Queens and I think we have a lot of Latino fans. I’m a big community guy, or when it comes to being Latino, I’m very proud. So for me, to be able to play, and show them how thankful I am of them supporting us, I always enjoy that.”
Betances’ 2019 season was injury ridden causing him to only pitch 0.2 innings. His entire season was spent on the injured list due to a right shoulder impingement and strained lat injury that had him sidelined for five and a half months.
This IL stint was followed by a torn left Achilles tendon that ensured he wouldn’t return in 2019. As far as the Mets are concerned, and with how his recovery is going thus far, he is expected to be ready by spring training. The season prior, 2018, he pitched to a 2.70 ERA across 66.2 IP, with a 1.05 WHIP and 115 strikeouts for the Yankees.
The full video can be found on the New York Mets YouTube channel here.
