Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Free Agent Target Dellin Betances Signs With Mets

Undeniably, I was one in the Dodger Nation who became excited when first whispers trickled out about Dellin Betances and the Dodgers. Then, actual reports surfaced that the Dodgers identified Betances as a free agent target to bolster the bullpen. Remember, Andrew Friedman said candidly that a reliever who could help Kenley Jansen in the closers role would be ideal.

While the Dodgers signed Blake Treinen, adding Betances as an additional luxury would have been a welcomed move. As we have learned, having a surplus of bullpen arms is never a bad thing.



Now however, dreams of Betances wearing Dodger blue have gone by the wayside. On Christmas Eve, the New York Mets have signed Betances to a one-year contract.

In addition, the contract includes a player option for 2021. This news was first announced by Andy Martino of SNY on twitter early on Tuesday afternoon.

Here is what Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has to say of his new toy via the NY Daily News.

“Dellin is one of the elite relievers in the game with an incredible track record of pitching on the biggest stage and in playoff games. This is a tremendously exciting gift for Mets fans this holiday season in our championship pursuit.”

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Obviously, that part about Betances being a ‘holiday gift’ for Mets fans and it coming on Christmas Eve smarts a little bit; just a little bit.

Perhaps the Dodgers did not want to offer beyond a one-year deal to Betances, or shifted the focus elsewhere. On a transaction like this, it’s possible we never learn why Betances to the Dodgers didn’t happen. Still, it’s hard to deny the obvious fit and small amount of risk involved with signing Betances.

Another reason for the reliever signing with the Mets is likely the New York roots he established with the Yankees for 8 seasons. Joel Sherman confirms as much.

Finally for the Dodgers – the question remains; aside from signing Blake Treinen – what has Los Angeles done to improve the on-field product in 2020? We will await your answers in the comment section below.

NEXT: Lindor, Clevinger, and Betts Trades that Could Work for LA

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44 Comments

  1. Now add the Mets to the list the Dodgers won’t be able to match up against in a ,5 or especially 7 game series. Merry Christmas Dodgers fans………..

  2. Beginning to reinenforce the suspicion that either Friedman is incompetent, or that as a whole, nobody wants to play for the blue team in LA. This maddening platoonville and incomprehensible bad management is beginning to reap ominous fruitage. Good luck trading for Lindor/Betts.

  3. Hahaha this group is absolutely pathetic. You let all the other big names sign ok whatever but then you don’t even sign ONE guy? The one guy that could’ve solidified this bullpen to go along with Treinen. This is the least the Dodgers could’ve done. Unbelievable. Guess I was right when I said Friedman thought Treinen was all that was needed but that’s not much of a prediction with this clown now is it

    1. Manny we could’ve really shortened the games in the playoffs with Jansen, Betances, Baez and Treinen this is a big miss and something they could’ve afforded having passed on all of the ridiculous contracts this offseason

          1. Absolutely correct, AZUL!!!! Its almost as if no one wants to join the squad, and I do agree that much of that has to do with manager Roberts and his utilization of talent. Or, lack thereof. At present, we appear to be the best in our division. But that means very little in the long run. To spend one hundred million dollars to fix up the stadium, and not one cent on top player acquisition, is a disgrace. Go Blue!!!!

    2. Mets waste money for nothing,they need hitting,they aren’t going anywhere.Hopefully Dodgers can get Hader for strippling or Maeda or both.

  4. Folks, last night I watched that Dr. Seuss show “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Well I have a new one here and it’s called “How Freidman the Dodger Grinch Stole Christmas” What do ya think?

    1. They are definitely good at identifying draft talent and guys who are small wins. I don’t think it’s incompetence. I just don’t think they feel urgency/they don’t want to operate in the manner where they spend money. And there is no pressure on them to do it.

      1. Clint, your exactly right. The turn styles keep cha chinging , and the media keeps giving these guys a pass. Always complimenting their no spend, analytic , Triple A division only ideals. The only thing that will stop their theft from the fans is boycotting their laundering operations. It appears quite obvious that the rest of the league and MLB players view this FO as incompetent and or resistant to public opinion or both! The pressure needs to be intensified from not only you journalists, but also all of us at the gates!!!

  5. My goodness relax!

    Betances wanted to sign in New York just like Turner and Jansen wanted to sign in LA a few years back.

    I’m tired of all this Friedman bashing. The dude completely rebuilt the Dodgers while going to the World Series two years in a row.

    Would have won it in 2017 if the Astros didn’t cheat.

    Our farm is one of the best in baseball and we didn’t have to tank to get there.

    Seriously man!!!

    1. You’re hilarious. Maybe if they actually were the 2017 champs but they aren’t. Stop living in a fantasy land. No ones jealous of two losses just ask any fanbase who’s won recently

      1. Dodgers were stacked and on a roll that year.

        Yeah we would have won…

        BANG BANG!!

    2. Yeah, that’s the excuse, we would have won it if the Astros did not cheat. LOL…..

      1. Excuse??

        Watch game 5 again man and after you stop yourself from throwing up…

        Realize that we almost won that game… and they scored 13 runs!

    3. First of all, Friedman inherited a robust farm system. Second, we would have won it in 2017 if Friedman hadn’t gone the cheap route acquiring Darvish rather than the more costly, and decidedly better Justin Verlander. That year also exposed our bullpenl yet this front office tried to fix it on the cheap with predictable results and is still following that model. Dylan Hernandez’s article (LA Times) is spot on as the Dodgers just have to spend enough to win the weak west and hope they advance without diminishing the massive profits the owners are making.

  6. Was just saying this morning how they still could get Betances but so much for that. You guys really upgraded the bullpen there with your one cheap pickup. F these guys

    1. Can’t really even give them an off-season grade at this point. Feels like ‘incomplete’

      1. Clint the grade right now is a BIG F!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Roberts defending his decisions in NLDS game 5 is disgusting. He alone has set this franchise back a few years because the hard truth is I don’t believe there is a player in all of MLB who would want to come here.

    1. You can’t get away from censorship these people are everywhere. With this site it’s the writers who probably have a limit on how much exposing can be commented or put in their articles. Mlb.com used to have a comment section, there were shiIIs disguised as fans that monitored that place 24/7 I mean literally and they would just flag a comment down that had too much truth in it. That’s something regular fans wouldn’t do. Very odd place glads it’s gone now, i did my part to shut it down by reporting all the misogyny and suttle racism eventually mlb decided they didn’t want those kind of posters and shut the whole thing down. Those types were literally on every teams site it was so strange how similar they all were it’s like they were all part of the same shiII network

  7. The front office needs to go and the team needs to be sold to someone who cares about the fans and wants to win a champiomship. Dell the team and get out of town current .You suck.

  8. The front office needs to go and the team needs to be sold to someone who cares about the fans and wants to win a champiomship. Dell the team and get out of town current ownership .I have not already said this post it now.

  9. Dodgers only need for Roberts to stop messing up,they got a reliever who 2 years ago was lights out,hopefully he can pitch like he used to.maybe brewers are dumb and gives Hader for pollock,and striping or maeda.

  10. Friedman strikes out again. This FO is a joke. All the money they could ever need and they fail again to sign a marquee free agent. Wasn’t the reason not to sign big deals for a couple of years was to get well under the luxury cap in order to have the ability to do so? Guess that was a flat out lie and instead we get Pollock, Kelly and now Treinen.

  11. Yeah, but if a guy doesn’t want to leave NY, what are you going to do? Betances’ east coast preference has been known for years.

  12. Like to say Merry Christmas to all Dodgers fans!! And I’m grateful for the Lakers and Rams for going all out for the fans! Go Lakers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Not so sure about the Lakers anymore they look pretty against good teams kind of like the Dodgers every year. But atleast the owners and FO showed they cared, it’s up to the players. Hopefully they figure it out

    1. Ned Colletti’s drafts helped turn the current Dodgers around. They’re still paying dividends.

  13. Painful. Betances was so easy to get. This didn’t involve big dollars or a long contract. Another check swing and miss. Looks like we can’t cut any deals, big or small. Urias, May, and Gonsolin will be making starts next year. What’s the bullpen going to look like?

    1. Bullpen is the same weak mess. Treinen would’ve been a great addition had they also signed Betances. Now it’s hardly a difference at all

  14. “After making his season debut Sunday, Dellin Betances is out again after suffering a partial tear of his left Achilles tendon” September 17, 2019

    Dodgers dodged a major bullet not signing this guy. Friedman is not that stupid. Ever wondered why it took so long for Betances to get a contract, because no other teams want to risk $10 million on a ticking time bomb.

  15. As a Dodger fan since 1958…….I can say with this regime…every off season is the same…”We gonna go after the BEST AVAILABLE TALENT REGARDLESS OF BUCKS!!!”…and every year they end up with a few past their prime “B” talent guys! They have the Bucks but are just tooooo damn cheap to spend on anything!!!

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