METS SIGN FOUR-TIME ALL-STAR DELLIN BETANCES

METS SIGN FOUR-TIME ALL-STAR RHP DELLIN BETANCES

FLUSHING, N.Y., December 24, 2019 – The New York Mets today announced that the club has signed four-time All-Star RHP Dellin Betances to a one-year contract with a player option for 2021. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mets designated infielder Sam Haggerty for assignment.

Betances, 31, was the first reliever in baseball history to have 100 or more strikeouts in five consecutive seasons (2014-2018). He led all major league relievers in strikeouts in each year from 2014-2016.

“Dellin is one of the elite relievers in the game with an incredible track record of pitching on the biggest stage and in playoff games,” Mets Executive Vice President and General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. “This is a tremendously exciting gift for Mets fans this holiday season in our championship pursuit.”

Since 2014, the 6-8, 265-pounder leads all major league relievers with 609 strikeouts over 374.0 innings. His 11.3 WAR (FanGraphs) over that period is the third-highest in the majors among relievers. His career 14.6 strikeout per nine innings rate is the third-highest in the modern era (min. 200 innings).

“I love New York,” said Betances. “I grew up in Manhattan. Went to high school in Brooklyn. Played minor league ball in Staten Island. Made it to the big leagues in the Bronx. Now, I’m excited to go win a World Series with the Mets in Queens. Thanks to Fred and Jeff, Brodie, and all the other Mets staff who worked so hard to make possible this next step in my New York journey. Merry ChristMets! Let’s Go METS!”

Betances was an All-Star in 2014-2017 with the Yankees and was named The Sporting News AL Reliever of the Year in 2014 and 2015. The New York City native has held opponents to a .153 (60-392) batting average with runners in scoring position for his career, the second-lowest mark in the majors since 1974. Among active pitchers (min. 300 innings), he owns the third-lowest career batting average against (.170).

From 2015-2018, Betances’ overall opponents exit velocity was 84.6 percent, tied for the third-lowest among major league pitchers (min. 500 batted balls).

Betances has posted a 2.36 career ERA (100 earned runs/381.2 innings) with 36 saves and 621 strikeouts in 358 major league games with the Yankees.