Mets: What we can expect from newly acquired arms in 2020

Mets sign Dellin Betances on December 24th

After making all of one appearance in 2019, Dellin Betances has more than just past injuries to overcome this season. Prior to last year, he became the first reliever to reach the 100-strikeout mark in five consecutive seasons from 2014-18, and with a 2.22 ERA during that stretch to boot.

This signing was meant to put the bullpen over the top, according to Brodie Van Wagenen. By signing former New York Yankees reliever to a one-year, $10.5 million deal, with a player option for 2021, BVW made his intentions to build upon their 2019 successes clear: He wants to contend.

And in terms of how the Mets organization has operated in the past when it comes to adding a high-salaried player to ‘put them over the top,’ adding Betances is an unconventional move for this franchise – and a huge step in the ‘championship direction.’

For all his faults and few miscues, this is why I like BVW. Despite whatever budget the Wilpon’s have him operating with, his thinking is always in the interest of winning baseball games. And in order to do that, he works to add quality talent to this club, so that they will win games.

Case in point with the one-year deal agreed upon with Betances. Moreover, a bullpen with a vintage Edwin Díaz, Jherys Familia, and Dellin Betances is a forbidding prospect for any batter to have to face – without question. Not to mention the added threat of a healthy Seth Lugo.

So, if Dellin Betances is healthy, he will be one of the integral pieces to the Mets success. Although it may appear an obvious assessment, it’s important to realize that it has been more than a year since Betances was able to showcase his talents when healthy. I don’t care about the four-time All-Star he once was: sitting out for an entire season due to injury could change any MLB player, never mind a pitcher of all positions.

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Regardless, it’s important in looking ahead to this upcoming season that despite the bullpen’s well-documented struggles to record the last three outs of games in 2019, the option of turning to Betances; of whom management is also hoping for a bounce-back season, may just the difference for the Mets this season.