PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. _ In spring training 2019 with the Yankees, Dellin Betances downplayed a mysterious lack of velocity. Said he felt fine.
Ended up facing two batters all season, first because of a shoulder injury, and then because he blew out his Achilles.
Slow-forward to spring training 2020 with the Mets. Betances is trying to make it back in time for the March 26 season opener, but he hasn't appeared in a game yet.
Betances pitched in a simulated game on Tuesday against Mets personnel, including Tim Tebow. Betances' velocity was down, but this time it's not much of a mystery why.
"I'm trying to throw a little more heaters so I can get the arm going the way I want to," Betances said. "Just trying to clear every hurdle before I get into games ... I'm trying to build up. I'm a slow starter, regardless. Also, I didn't really pitch last year, so I'm kind of building up. But we have enough time for that."
One of those hurdles is showing his once-crackling fastball is ready to get out big-league hitters. That didn't appear to be the case on Tuesday, but Betances said: "I don't think it matters. I'm going just try to build off every outing. But I know myself for a long time. I know right now it's not coming out the way it would come out in the season. It takes me a little bit to get that going, but I feel like everything's been good."
The Mets haven't decided when Betances will make his spring training debut. It's something he would have liked to have done already.
"You've just got to trust the process, the plan," Betances said. "For me, I would have hoped to have pitched last week, but you've got to trust what they have for you. They have a program built in. Just trying to clear every hurdle before they put me out there."
And Opening Day?
"Yeah, that's the goal," Betances said. "That was my goal all offseason. I've worked really hard to get to this point, so I don't see why it wouldn't be realistic."
Betances, 31, signed a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $10.5 million (with various incentives and options) that could be worth as much as $14.5 million.
In 2018, his last full season, Betances went 4-6 with a 2.70 ERA and four saves in 66 games for the Yankees. In 66 2/3 innings, he struck out 115.
The Mets would like to add that kind of stuff to the back of their bullpen _ if Betances' stuff comes back. On paper, the bullpen crew of Edwin Diaz, Betances, Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, Brad Brach and lefthander Justin Wilson could be as good as any in baseball.
Betances, as the only new addition, could be the biggest difference-maker.
"So much depth in our bullpen with guys that have closing experience," manager Luis Rojas said. "It's just options to have guys like that pitching earlier in games. He would be another guy with that experience, so, yeah, it would be definitely of a lot of value if he breaks with the team."
Lugo hasn't pitched in a spring training game yet after breaking his toe last month in a freak hotel room accident, but he is hopeful he'll make his debut soon.
Gsellman threw two innings and allowed one run on Tuesday in the Mets' 6-1 loss to the Marlins at Clover Park. Familia and Brach each threw a scoreless inning to continue their unblemished springs.
