Dellin Betances doesn’t often get the chance to bat, so he decided to have some fun when he got the opportunity to hit on Monday.
Betances stepped to the plate for the first time in his MLB career during the top of the eighth inning of the New York Yankees’4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. While at the plate, he messed around and did the Gary Sheffield bat waggle as a nod to the former Yankee:
Dellin "Gary Sheffield" Betances pic.twitter.com/u7RLwWNf3K
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) June 26, 2018
Betances said after the game that he used to hit like that in high school and liked Sheffield.
Betances on his AB: "I tried to go out there and do my best Gary Sheffield impression. I didn't make any contact, though. I used to hit like that in high school, goofing around and stuff. Gary, I liked to watch him play and liked the way he hit."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 26, 2018
Bettances struck out on three pitches and the Yankees squandered an opportunity with runners on second and third with one out. Him just getting the opportunity to hit was due to interesting circumstances.
First off, the Yankees were playing in a National League park, so there was no DH. Aaron Boone brought Betances in to get the final out in the bottom of the seventh and inserted him in the right spot in the lineup. But because the Yanks had a big top of the eighth, Betances’ spot in the order came up. Boone felt it was worth letting Betances hit so he could pitch the bottom of the inning. Though he didn’t drive in any runs, Betances did not allow a run in the eighth despite putting two on.
In the end, we all got to have a little fun watching him hit.
