Yankees reliever Dellin Betances suffers partially torn Achilles tendon

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the Yankees just revealed that Dellin Betances suffered a partial tear of his left Achilles tendon. Apparently, the right-hander landed awkwardly on the mound during his eight-pitch season debut the other day. You really can’t make the injuries up this season. Aaron Boone said that surgery hasn’t been recommended, but we won’t see him on the mound again this year.

Betances, 31, spent most of this year rehabbing an assortment of arm injuries. He dealt with a bone spur in his right shoulder as well as a lat strain. The rehab process for these injuries proved arduous, delaying his season until September. He made his first and only major-league appearance of 2019 on Sunday, striking out two batters.

The right-hander faces an uncertain future, as he is slated to hit free agency this winter. With a career 2.36 ERA (2.31 FIP) and 14.64 K/9 rate, he has the resume of an elite reliever. That said, the 2019 season cast long shadows of injury concern over Betances. The Yankees could extend a qualifying offer to him, but it’s too early to tell.

At this rate, the Yankees will need to reconsider their postseason bullpen. The idea of a healthy Betances having a huge October has sadly evaporated. Let’s all hope the Yankees win a ring for the original Baby Bomber.