Dellin Betances thinks Manny Machado would put the Yankees “over the top”

Yesterday, Yankees pitchers Dellin Betances and CC Sabathia got into the Thanksgiving spirit by distributing over 600 turkeys to families at the Polo Grounds Community Center. When he wasn’t passing out poultry, Betances took a few minutes to talk baseball with members of the press.

The conversation took an interesting turn when the subject of Manny Machado’s free agency came up. Betances gave a glowing endorsement of the infielder, and all but recommended the Yankees to sign him.

“I think he’ll put us over the top,” Betances said of Machado. “We were short last year. Things could have gone our way, but they didn’t. Adding a guy like that would help any team. Our lineup is already impactful, so adding a guy like that would be pretty crazy.”

The two played together for the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. While many have speculated on Machado’s clubhouse presence, Betances saw it firsthand. He knows what it’s like to play alongside Machado, and it sure doesn’t sound like he had any problems with it.

Machado, 26, hit .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs in his walk year. His 141 wRC+ represented a career best. MLB Trade Rumors predicted a 13-year, $390 million contract for the slugger. FanGraphs took a more conservative approach as they suggested a nine-year deal worth $279 million.

Either way, Machado will get paid handsomely this winter. Betances, along with a growing chorus of fans, hopes it’s with the Yankees.