The Yankees will go into Wednesday’s decisive Game 5 not being able to expect anything out of All-Star reliever Dellin Betances.
Betances had another ugly outing in Monday’s 7-3 win over the Indians in Game 4 of the ALDS, saved by a tremendous performance from Tommy Kahnle, who got the final six outs of the game and kept Joe Girardi from having to use Aroldis Chapman.
“I was out of whack,” Betances said. “All I can do is thank Tommy Kahnle. I can’t put him in that situation. … I have to put this one behind me.”
That might not be easy for him or Girardi to do.
Girardi showed he had lost confidence in Betances most recently in the Yankees’ wild-card win over the Twins, when the right-hander didn’t even get up in the bullpen when they pitched 8 ²/₃ innings.
And while he pitched well in a Game 1 loss to the Indians in the ALDS and fired two shutout innings before faltering in his third inning of Game 2, Betances didn’t get an out on Monday.
He had to be rescued by Kahnle, who came in with two on and no one out and retired the next three batters to get out of the jam. Kahnle closed out the ninth with Chapman warming up in the bullpen following his five-out save on Sunday.
“I just came out and was aggressive,” Kahnle said. “My whole life has been waiting for this moment.”
And he’s delivered, retiring all 15 batters he has faced this postseason.
“I’m trying to do everything I can to stay away from Chapman, so I just felt like I had to make the move,’’ Girardi said. “[Betances’] other four innings have been really pretty good, but tonight, he was a little off.”
Girardi wasted little time in going to him.
Betances threw wildly twice in issuing a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Yan Gomes in the eighth and then got a visit from pitching coach Larry Rothschild when he fell behind 1-0 to Francisco Lindor.
But Betances followed that with three more balls and left to a chorus of boos from the Yankee Stadium crowd.
“You can’t put guys on and expect to keep pitching,” Betances said. “I’ll be ready whenever I’m called upon. … I know I can help this team out — if not on Wednesday, then if we win, it’s the next series.”
Kahnle came on and struck out Jason Kipnis, got Jose Ramirez to fly out to right and fanned Jay Bruce to preserve the four-run lead. He retired the side in order in the ninth.
It was a stark contrast from Betances, who finished the regular season by giving up six earned runs in 8 ²/₃ innings over his final 11 outings and didn’t record an out in his last outing before the playoffs.
Girardi has been asked repeatedly how to get Betances straightened out at this point of the season and it’s obvious that hasn’t happened.
And with Girardi’s liberal use of the bullpen, especially this time of year, Betances will likely continue to be exposed.
Girardi opted to go with Betances on Monday in part due to the heavy workload of others in the bullpen such as Chapman, Chad Green and David Robertson.
Now, it’s unclear when — or if — Girardi will be able to turn to Betances.
