Fansided

Top 25 MLB free agents for 2019

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 09: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox in Game Four of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 09: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox in Game Four of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

24. Dellin Betances

New York Yankees right-handed reliever Dellin Betances will be one of the more intriguing free agents to watch in this winter’s class. The 31-year-old appeared in just one game this season and recorded only two outs. He missed the first five months of the year recovering from a lat strain and then partially tore his Achilles in his first game back. It’s worth noting that both outs he recorded came via strikeout. Betances should be ready to go Opening Day next year or early in the regular season.

During his eight-year career, Betances has consistently been among the most electric, unhittable relievers in baseball. He has pitched 381.2 innings in the big leagues and has struck out 621 men while holding opponents to a .170/.274/.260 line with only 26 home runs. Betances has occasionally battled control issues and walked 44 in 59.2 innings in 2017 before settling down in 2018. The Yankees could live with his free passes because the walks rarely came back to bit him.

Betances has one of the best curveballs in baseball, which he has thrown nearly 52 percent of the time in his career. Opponents have hit only .111 against the pitch, swinging and missing at 47 percent of his curveballs and going down on strikes nearly 500 times. When Betances is on, he’s almost good for an automatic scoreless inning.

The torn Achilles throws a huge cloud over Betances’ future, especially with the Yankees, who could also be faced with the possibility of losing closer Aroldis Chapman to free agency. The Yankees have gotten by with a mediocre rotation and mega bullpen, but the future of that approach is in jeopardy. Betances’ absence was noticeable all year. He is stuck at an in-between point of his career where it could be difficult to reestablish value on a one-year deal and then try free agency again entering his age-33 season.

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