Yankees free agent Dellin Betances is "likely" to sign a one-year deal in an effort to increase his value and hit the market again in 2020, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network.
Curry added that the Yankees have engaged with Betances, who he says attended a congratulatory dinner for Carlos Beltran after Beltran was named manager of the Mets.
Betances, who will turn 32 before Opening Day, pitched just 2/3 of an inning in 2019 after dealing with a lat injury. He returned toward the end of the season, but suffered an Achilles injury in his only appearance that ended his year.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman has maintained dialogue with Betances and the Yankees' other two big free agents -- Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner.
Betances was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball from 2014-2018, posting a 2.22 ERA (2.26 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 607 strikeouts in 373.1 IP (349 appearances). That dominance didn't come without blips, though, with Betances struggling so badly in 2017 that it impacted his usage in the playoffs.
Still, Betances arguably has the best combination of upside and history of any free agent reliever left on the market. And if he's open to a one-year deal, he will likely have a lof of suitors.