Mets Sign Betances To A 1-Year $10.5 Million Deal Thanks To Cespedes 2020 Salary Slashing.
With the salary the Mets saved on Cespedes for this season, which was substantial from $29.5 million to a mere $6 million for his non-related sport injury last year for breaking his ankle while horsing around, Mets signed former Yankee right-hand reliever Dellin Betances to 1-year deal worth $10.5 million.
With incentives Betances who's 31 and 6' 8", only played in one game last season could earn $13 million if he appears in 70 games. He also has a player option in 2021 and a vesting player option for 2022.
Betances has solid career stats; 21-22 with a 2.36 ERA in 8 seasons with the Yankees. He's a flamethrower who can throw 100 mph and has fanned an impressive 621 batters in just 381 innings pitched. forgetting 2019 in which he appeared in just one game then ruptured his Achilles tendon, in his last full season 2018 he went 4-6 with a 2.70 ERA. He fanned 115 that year in 66 innings.
He joins a Mets bullpen that includes Lugo, Gsellman, Diaz and Familia. Aside from Lugo, Betances gives the Mets and new manager Carlos Beltran many options. He can spot close or be a 8th inning set-up man spelling Seth Lugo.
This is in addition to Mets signing two starters on 1-year deals. Rick Porcello who's originally from New Jersey, 30, signed for $10 million for a year. He's a former Cy Young Award winner. In 2016 he won the coveted award with Boston by going 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA. Last season he was 14-12 with a career high 5.52 ERA. His career stats are 149-118 with a 4.36 ERA.
Mets first signed Michael Wacha, 28 who last season went 6-7 with a 4.76 ERA with St. Louis. Career stats are good; 59-39, 3.91. Wacha gets a 1-year deal for $3 million, with incentives could earn up to $7 million. He's been mentioned to replace Zach Wheeler, who the Mets lost in free agency to the Phillies (5-years, $118 million) as the 5th starter.
Mets have already upgraded defensively in CF when they traded for 28-year-old Jake Marisnick from Houston for two prospects; left-hander pitcher Blake Taylor and Outfielder Kenedy Corona. Many Met fans including me, wanted Sterling Marte from Pittsburgh, but that apparently won't happen.
Marisnick is considered an excellent defender who has speed. Offensively he's yet to well in MLB. Last season batted .233 with 10 HRs and 34 RBIs.
Aside from the impending, drawn-out 5-year sale of the Mets, this all good news and gives 2nd year GM Brodie Van Wagenen plenty of ammo to make future deals or simply keep all to win now.
As they say; "Good pitching beats hitting" or "You win with pitching." No matter how you say it, Mets are now stacked with arms and positioned to win now!
