TORONTO — Six-foot-7 Aaron Judge looked just fine in center field, despite all the pregame worries about a big man out of position. It was how uncomfortable 6-8 Dellin Betances continues to look at his actual job that should really cause the Yankees concern.
Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman and pitching coach Larry Rothschild downplayed fret about the reliever, and so did Betances himself. And it felt like it contained more spin than one of his the righty’s curveballs.
After an encouraging spring, Betances’ first two outings have played like a continuation of last September — too many long balls, too susceptible to the running game, too quick to unravel. The Yankees stressed all the encouraging, self-help blather then as well — right up to Joe Girardi essentially putting him on ice for most of the playoffs.
On Saturday, Betances gave up his second homer in two outings. It was a tiebreaking shot by Yangervis Solarte opening the eighth inning. Yet, it was not the most disturbing part of the inning. Betances would allow two more baserunners and four steals to the team that had the second-fewest thefts in the majors last year.
The worst of it came with two outs and two strikes on light-hitting No. 9 batter Gift Ngoepe. Kevin Pillar danced off third further and further. Betances had him in his sights as a righty pitcher. Then Pillar broke for home. Betances stepped off the rubber and looked more like a quarterback trying to stop the clock than a calm pitcher delivering a peg to the plate, the spiked ball careening by Gary Sanchez.
That allowed the final run in Toronto’s 5-3 victory that brought Boone and the 2018 Yankees their first loss. It was a miserable one. Billy McKinney ran into the wall and will join Greg Bird, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks on the disabled list. Adam Warren might be heading there too after taking a liner off his right foot. Boone is suddenly ad libbing lineups.
Yet, the continued devolving of Betances is arguably most vexing. The Yankees pen is supposed to be a strength and has given up runs in all three games. Twice Betances has been a culprit.
In the season opener — in an ominous moment — Pillar hit the first pitch Betances threw this season for a homer. Rothschild dismissed it as “an ambush” — a hitter sitting on a fastball and tomahawking away.
Perhaps Betances should not have even been pitching to surrender his second homer. In his first questionable move, Boone sent Betances out for the eighth after a scoreless seventh, though Chad Green was warmed. Boone indicated he was concerned — with the score 3-3 and Warren and Jonathan Holder already used and Aroldis Chapman having pitched the two previous days — of expending too many relievers and then enduring extra innings.
Betances fell behind Solarte 2-0. Betances and his bosses have tried to say this year is different from last September because the righty is limiting walks. But falling behind is an issue, too. Betances worked into a fastball count and Solarte smoked a 97-mph heater to make it 4-3.
Pillar singled with one out and stole second with two away. Betances is long to the plate. Curtis Granderson had been thrown out in the eighth with Betances pitching, but it took a brilliant throw from Sanchez and terrific tag from Didi Gregorius for the bang-bang out. Luke Maile, another light hitter, walked. Pillar then stole third, usually a no-no with two outs, but here was just no risk. Plus, it put him in position to dance off third and then break with Toronto’s first steal of home since 2007.
“I rushed the throw there,” Betances said. “That is a big mistake.”
Betances spoke of having to “slow down” multiple times. Rothschild reiterated Betances must vary his delivery times and use step-offs to counter thefts. But the word is out on Betances and that word includes that he seems to have the yips throwing to bases.
Betances remains hard to hit — he struck out three batters in the eighth — but maybe not as hard as previously. He did not allow a homer last year until July 1, then he permitted long balls on both Sept. 4 and 5, now two in two outings this year. And when the ball stays in the park, the opposition can create the equivalent of extra-base hits via liberties in the running game.
Boone said, “We will continue to work with him and believe in him and continue to need him in big situations.”
What else can the manager say? He knows Betances worked hard in the offseason to streamline his mechanics, make strike throwing more voluminous. When right, Betances is fabulous.
But Boone and anyone around the Yankees must also recognize how fast Betances can plummet from dominant to doomed as he battles with his size, mechanics and — perhaps — psyche. He was the big guy performing at this position Saturday for the Yankees and looked all wrong.