Categories: Rumors

Potential Phillies bullpen target seems likely to remain in New York

Dellin Betances would be a solid bounceback option for a Phillies bullpen facing uncertainty in 2020. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire)

The Philadelphia Phillies may have to look elsewhere for bullpen help this offseason.

According to SNY‘s Matthew Cerrone, executives think free-agent reliever Dellin Betances is likely to either stay with the New York Yankees or go to the New York Mets.

Betances, who will be entering his age-32 season in 2020, is coming off a season that started late due to a shoulder injury and ended early after a partial Achilles tear. Prior to that, however, he was one of the best relievers in baseball for a four-year stretch, ranking first among all relievers in K/9 (14.99), third in fWAR (8.2) and fifth in FIP (2.45) during that stretch.

The Phillies were linked to Betances by the New York Post

‘s George A King III in late November. A tweet from The Athletic‘s Jayson Stark also indicated that the team would be searching for a bounce-back candidate for the bullpen, and Betances certainly fit the description.

If Betances does indeed stay in New York, the Phillies will still have several options to shore up the bullpen. One potential target is Blake Treinen, who had a brilliant 2018 in Oakland but was non-tendered by the Athletics following a difficult 2019. With roughly $18 million left in room before exceeding the luxury tax, the Phillies will have to budget themselves wisely to fill the remaining holes if they intend to remain under the tax.