Yankees' Betances on inheriting closer's role: 'I've just got to do my job'
With Sunday's news that New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman will likely miss at least a month due to rotator cuff inflammation, the team has found itself in the somewhat awkward position of turning to Dellin Betances as interim closer.
The relationship between the club and the ace reliever was strained by a testy arbitration hearing before the season, after which team president Randy Levine went so far as to say Betances wasn't closer material.
"I've just got to do my job," Betances said Sunday, according to The New York Post's Dan Martin. "I can't try to show anybody anything, because that's just putting extra pressure on myself. I just have to do go out there, do my job, make pitches, and everything will take care of itself. ...
"I don't have to prove anything. I've been pitching three years (here) already."
The 29-year-old previously took over as Yankees closer after the club dealt Chapman to the Chicago Cubs in 2016. Chapman returned to New York as a free agent in the offseason.
Betances has a sparkling 0.77 ERA with a whopping 22 strikeouts through 11 2/3 innings this season.