Dellin Betances and Adam Ottavino, studio analysts for YES Network Yankees coverage, take a swing at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. The Yankees studio team — which also features Michael Kay, Bob Lorenz, Jack Curry and Meredith Marakovits — makes its regular-season debut with Opening Day pregame and postgame shows Thursday, with the game broadcast on Netflix. YES’ first game is Friday.
Q: Is this the year the Yankees get over the hump?
Betances: I totally believe that with the rotation being a strength, I think this is the year. Obviously you got Gerrit Cole coming back pretty soon, [Carlos] Rodón coming back as well. The strength of the rotation is gonna allow the bullpen to be strong at the end of the season. They’re gonna have so many weapons with guys having to move from the starting rotation to the bullpen. That’ll be a strength for them going into the postseason. There’s a sour taste in these guys’ mouth after they were eliminated last year. I think that lights a fire in a lot of these guys, and I feel like they’ll finally break through.
Ottavino: I have no way of predicting that, only time will tell. But I do think that this is a very good roster, I think they’ve done a good job. I’m very confident this team will be playing October baseball, and they’ll give it their best shot at that point.
Q: What are your thoughts on the rotation?
Ottavino: I really like where the rotation’s at. … I really like the [Ryan] Weathers move, that was my favorite move of the offseason. I think Luis Gil is poised for a bounce back … [Cam] Schlittler could be taking the next step. Will Warren learned a lot of lessons last year. Obviously they have Max Fried as well. So it’s very deep and definitely an AL East-caliber starting rotation.
Q: Carlos Lagrange?
Ottavino: I think he’s a special talent, I think they should continue to develop him as a starter because he does have a full arsenal, he’s not a one-trick pony like most guys you see that throw 102, 103 miles an hour. I know that circumstances might dictate that he’ll debut in the bullpen as the season progresses, but I think that would be selling him short, I truly think he has a chance to be a No. 1 starting pitcher. He’s that talented.
Q: What advice would you give him if he was told to go to the bullpen?
Ottavino: The only real advice for him is just to get ahead in the count. Attack everybody, don’t give hitters too much credit, understand what type of stuff you have, and just figure out his routine on a day-to-day basis. Any adjustment to the bullpen can be a little difficult for guys at times, but he should just follow the lead of the veteran guys and try to get comfortable with that as soon as possible.
Q: Does he remind you of the young Dellin?
Betances: His stuff looks a little better. His stuff is overpowering. I just like his makeup, his confidence. He’s shown ability in spring to throw strikes consistently. He has a chance to be great in this game.
Q: Do you see him as a starter or in the bullpen?
Betances: He’s shown the ability to add multiple pitches he can throw for strikes. He has the potential to be a starter. The guy throws 103, he has nasty offspeed, he can get guys out in the big leagues right now, I think, doing both, right? If he gets guys out and cuts his walk rate down, I think he’ll get called up pretty soon.
Q: What advice would you give him if he starts out in the bullpen?
Betances: It’s a different routine. How can I be at my ‘A’ game right when I come in? The mindset changes. You have to have that aggressive mentality once you come in ’cause one or two runs and the game is lost, right?
Q: What do you like about Weathers?
Betances: If he goes to the bullpen, you’re gonna have a lot of guys just overpowering guys.
Ottavino: He’s had trouble staying healthy in the past, but that seems to be something that he’s put behind him over the last year-and-a-half. He has tremendous stuff, you don’t see lefties with his type of velocity. I also really, really like his changeup. I feel like he’s the type of guy that’s getting ready to take the leap.
Q: Schlittler?
Ottavino: I think the biggest thing is he showed me that he can improve at a fast rate. He evolved really fast as the season progressed. Obviously he has tremendous raw stuff, but I thought the adjustments he made in terms of using the entire zone with his fastball, figuring out what lanes he wants to get his offspeed in, those were all really good adjustments that he made in a short amount of time.
Betances: Man, he was electric. I think he took the city by storm with that postseason he had. He has the ability to pound the strike zone, he’s getting you out relatively quickly. I read an article where Cole helped his cutter out leading to the playoffs which his velocity in that pitch increased by like 4, 5 miles per hour. That’ll be fun to see all season. But his makeup, his poise, he’s not afraid of the moment.
Q: Cole’s comeback?
Ottavino: I think he’s the racehorse at the starting gate, rarin’ to go. I think he’s gonna be outstanding when he comes back. I think the key thing right now is to make sure that he completes the rehab fully and doesn’t take any shortcuts here. I don’t think he will. But as long as he does that, I expect him to be the same old Gerrit Cole when he comes back to the rotation.
Q: Max Fried?
Ottavino: He is the definition of an ace. He can pitch without his best stuff and still give you a chance to win. He controls the running game, he fields his position, he helps his teammates, he’s very smart, he’s durable, he’s won a World Series, he pitched a deciding game of a World Series for Atlanta. He’s tough as nails, so he really checks the boxes.
Betances: He came in with an open mind of trying to get better, which he started relying more on that cutter, which was a great pitch for him. He knows how to pitch, he commands the zone, he’s a true ace. With Cole being back soon, I would just love to see that kind of tandem where going into the playoffs, it favors the Yankees very heavily.
Q: Rodón.
Ottavino: He’s got a tough mentality out there on the mound. At times, he’s had to figure out how to control that and rein that in. But really impressed with his ability to bounce back from that adversity in his first year with the Yankees. Another guy who’s done a good job evolving and adapting, adding a sinker, incorporating more changeup into the mix and really becoming a little bit more of a complete pitcher. So I’m a huge Carlos fan.
Q: The bullpen?
Betances: Right now we don’t know what it’s gonna be. I think it’s gonna be a strength later in the season ’cause some of these starters now gotta go to the bullpen. I think obviously [David] Bednar did great for them last year, I think [Camilo] Doval starting the season out fresh, he has overpowering stuff, so that back of the bullpen is gonna be strong.
Q: What do you like about Bednar?
Betances: He’s a guy that’s willing to pitch multiple innings. He puts the team first. He’s a guy that you can bring in with runners on, he’s gonna get out of it. He can throw his offspeed for strikes when he’s behind on counts, he has a great fastball.
Ottavino: I think it’s an evolving situation. I like the depth that they have there. Doval seemed to make strides after being acquired by the Yankees last year. He’s gonna be kind of, in my opinion, the most important piece of how this bullpen will function. Bednar, I think, is in a great place. [Fernando] Cruz, I think, is in a great place. But Doval’s really the key, they need him to step up and be the bridge to Bednar and he certainly has the ability … big-time arm … the ball has some abnormal movement to it. It’s no denying it’s very, very nasty. His one issue in the past has been walks. He tends to spray the ball when he’s not locked in and he’s not mechanically sound.
Q: The lineup?
Betances: Very versatile. You got a lot of matchup decisions you can make. They have some guys that can run the bases. Obviously they got a lot of power in the middle of the lineup. Be excited to see [Giancarlo] Stanton back starting a season and hopefully we can get 140 [games] out of him. That can be scary. With him back healthy, we’re definitely gonna experience the Bronx Bombers again with him and [Aaron] Judge at the middle of the lineup there. The lineup is strong and being able to match up with rights and lefts, I think that’s a strength for them.
Ottavino: They scored the most runs last year, it’s the same group coming back. I guess the big question is, can Trent Grisham do it again? And can Ben Rice take the leap? I think if he sticks with his process, he could be the answer for a batter behind or in front of Judge, and that can help this lineup even go to another level.
Q: What would that leap for Rice look like?
Ottavino: He’s one of the best hitters in the league already if you look at swing decisions and how hard he hits the ball. So I think it’s just a matter of time till some of that process manifests itself into some really great results. He’s a great hitter. I think that the world doesn’t realize quite how great he is, this could be the year that we all see that.
Betances: His plate discipline is elite. When you look at everything in his report card, when it comes to hitting, he’s at the top percentile for everything.
Q: How scary would the lineup be if Stanton could play 140 games?
Ottavino: Anytime Stanton’s in the lineup, it’s scary. I don’t think anybody’s expecting 140 games out of him. But if he’s in there, automatically there’s an intimidation factor and a bit of a know-how factor there.
Q: Do we automatically pencil Judge in for 50 home runs?
Ottavino: Yes. No question. I think that’s to be expected at this point.
Betances: Every year he just hits better. You can definitely mark that 50 for him. That’s what he does. But the ability to improve his average over the last couple of seasons, that’s what impressed me the most. That’s why he’s the best hitter in the game. I feel like he doesn’t get enough credit for his defense. I think he’s deserving of a Gold Glove. It was good to see him throw some guys out in the WBC.
Q: What do you think of Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero at shortstop?
Ottavino: Volpe’s obviously been under some fire, and I think he’s done a good job of kind of laying low this offseason, just putting his head down and working and getting healthy. Still believe in him, he’s got a really good upside, I think the biggest thing for him is getting back to being an elite defender at short. I think Caballero brings a different dynamic to the Yankee lineup with the base stealing, kind of an annoying contact approach to frustrate pitchers. At the end of the day, I think it’s good that they have multiple options that can kinda compete for that spot.
Q:. Cody Bellinger?
Betances: His plate discipline’s very good. Very versatile. He doesn’t really strike out as much, which you want that with that lineup. He’s played in L.A. before, so pressure doesn’t really get to him.
Ottavino: I think he’s the most versatile player they have. He’s tremendous in all three phases — he’s a really good hitter, really good defender in multiple positions, also a really good baserunner. One thing I’ve always admired about Cody is that he’s gone through times and bounced back, so he knows how to handle adversity.
Q: Team defense?
Betances: The outfield defense is excellent. Belli, Judge and Grisham, they can get the ball. Ryan McMahon, the guy is insane. If kids just can watch him at third base, they can learn a lot from him. Caballero, obviously a guy that can move around as well. Ben Rice works extremely hard at it so that’s an area that he can improve on. His offense will overshadow some of the defense, for sure.
Ottavino: I think it’s in a much better spot than where it was 12 months ago. Ryan McMahon at third is an elite defender. Whoever’s playing short, they’re gonna make sure they have an elite defender there.
Q: Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base?
Ottavino: Jazz is a great defender as well, very gifted, can play all over the field. At second base, that’s the position that comes natural to him. He makes spectacular plays, sometimes he’ll have little lapses on some regular plays. I think you have to live with it with Jazz because he’s a very explosive player, and he’s gonna make up for his mistakes with some explosive plays.
Betances: Second base is his position. I love how he plays the game. Super energetic, the fans love him.
Q: Austin Wells behind the plate?
Ottavino: Wells had a great year framing. That was the biggest thing that he brought to the table last year, stealing strikes for his pitchers, working with his pitchers, helping them record outs and keep runs off the board. He could do a better job of throwing and blocking, but those things will come. As long as he keeps up that framing, he’s gonna have a big impact.
Betances: He’s a guy that the pitchers love throwing to.
Q: The bench?
Betances: Randal Grichuk, a guy that can hit lefties really well. He’s punished the Yankees in years past so it’s good to have him on the Pinstripes. J.C. Escarra, a guy that can platoon in there with Wells. [Paul] Goldschmidt, a guy that crushed lefties last year.
Ottavino: It’s solid. Goldy crushes lefties, and I think he’s comfortable in his role. They have a multitude of depth options at catcher. Escarra has proven that he belongs on the club, in my opinion. Rice can also play catcher. [Amed] Rosario is another guy that matches up well versus lefties and kinda play all over the field. That’s kind of what you want in a bench.
Q: Jasson Domínguez?
Ottavino: He’s such an interesting player ’cause he’s not old yet. I certainly would not give up on him. The biggest issue he had last year was hitting versus lefties. He’s a switch-hitter, swung the bat pretty well from the one side of the plate but struggled on the other. And also there’s just not as much playing time available at the moment. I think him and Spencer Jones would benefit from playing every day, but that’s just not the reality right now.
Q: Team speed?
Betances: I think we got a great balance. We got some guys that can run, and then you have the middle of the lineup that can put the balls in the seats. You don’t have to run much when you hit ’em over the wall, right?
Ottavino: It’s never been a strength of the Yankees but last year that came back into play. They’ve begun to do a much better job of being threats on the basepaths. And it just adds another dimension. Instead of waiting around for home runs, they can create runs in another way, and I think that’s another problem for an opponent to solve.
Q: Are these Yankees better off without Juan Soto?
Ottavino: It’s a hard question (chuckle). Of course, you’d rather have Juan Soto on the team, he’s one of the top five players in baseball, so you’re never gonna be better off without a top-five player. But it gives them the ability to add in some different areas and maybe have a little bit more of a well-rounded team. They made it to the World Series with Soto two years ago and last year they fell short of that. Just based off results, you’d say they’d probably rather have Juan Soto, but results don’t always tell the whole story. I think it’s pretty close to a similar situation either way. I think they’re just about as strong with him as they are without him given that they were able to do some other things.
Q: Biggest concern?
Betances: The bullpen is where, like, what do we have right now? Their biggest concern is, does their rotation stay healthy? Rotation is key going into the playoffs, you want your horses to be healthy. … I think health is the key for them. And obviously in the playoffs, you would like for the team to be able to put the ball in play more and find ways to score runs, not just by the home run.
Ottavino: I think it’s probably the bullpen because it’s a little unpredictable. I think as much-maligned as he was last year, I think Devin Williams pitched a lot of big-time innings for this club and he hasn’t really been replaced. Same with [Luke] Weaver. Weaver was a leverage guy who pitched more than one inning at a clip often. I know they have the arms, but just ’cause they have the arms doesn’t guarantee anything in terms of success out there in big spots. So if one of their Big 3 were to falter in Doval, Bednar, and Cruz, they don’t really have somebody that’s super solid to step in there right now. That would be a problem that they’d have to address.
Q: The AL East?
Betances: The whole AL East is great. I feel like teams are gonna beat up each other.
Ottavino: I think it’s the best division in baseball. There’s four legitimate teams that are gonna be gunning for that division in Baltimore, Toronto, Boston and New York. Tampa’s also a competitive team. I think the Blue Jays, the Red Sox and the Yankees will separate themselves from Baltimore. Health is a big factor, of course. But it’s gonna be really tight. The margin’s probably gonna be a game or two at the end of the day.
Q: You like the Yankees to win the AL East?
Betances: I do. I think the first six weeks is the key for them. You don’t have your full rotation. I think when those guys come back, you want to be able to stay within a couple of games. If we stay within a couple of games, we’re definitely gonna win the East.
Q: What should the Yankees mindset be after knocking on the door so many times?
Ottavino: I think you still gotta think small and pay attention to what’s right in front of you. Try to win every series, don’t look at the big picture too often, punch your ticket to the postseason, go after that division, and then from there regroup and try to have a great three weeks.
Q: Do you think this team is better than last year’s team?
Ottavino: I do. I think the biggest reason is Cole coming back. And also the potential of Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez — I think he’s pretty much big-league ready — as two guys that can impact the pitching staff from the minor leagues. The presence of those three guys is something that they didn’t have last year that they’ll have this year.
Q: Message to Yankees fans?
Ottavino: Enjoy the ride. This is gonna be a great season. Let’s not put the cart in front of the horse. Let’s watch this team develop, figure out what their identity’s gonna be for 2026, and see if they can’t chase down that division.
Betances: We got the team to get over that hump.
