Phillies: Five free agents to reunite with Joe Girardi

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 09: New York Yankees Third base Todd Frazier (29) celebrates a run with Manager Joe Girardi (28) during the regular season MLB game between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays on August 9, 2017 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 18: Joe Girardi #28 of the New York Yankees takes the ball from pitcher Dellin Betances #68 in the top of the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins on September 18, 2017 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo By Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images) /

Dellin Betances

The Yankees expected Delin Betances to play a major role in their bullpen before injuries caught up to him in 2019. A lingering shoulder injury benched him in March and limited him to one appearances, where he partially tore his left Achilles tendon.

Betances won’t undergo surgery and is expected to return for spring training, but his market will likely be diminished considering the time he missed and the severity of his injuries.

When healthy, Betances has been one of the best relievers in baseball since 2014 with a 2.22 ERA in 349 games in New York. Betances has primarily been a set-up man, though he has saved 36 games during that five-year span.

The righty turns 32 this winter and made four consecutive All-Star teams prior to the 2018 season. Would it be worth it for the Phillies to roll the dice on him as a low-risk/high-reward option?

The upside is certainly there with Betances, who played for Girardi for parts of six seasons in New York. Philadelphia has been unlucky with free agent relievers, most recently with former Yankee David Robertson, who they could get nothing out of after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

If the Phillies can get Betances on a short-term deal with a lucrative option based on his availability, they should absolutely make the move for him. When healthy, which he’s been most of his career, Betances is the best set-up man in baseball. He’s still relatively young with just five seasons of stress on his arm and almost a full year of rest coming off the shoulder injury.