TAMPA — Dellin Betances leaves the Yankees on March 5 to join the Dominican Republic team and prepare for the World Baseball Classic.
If the reigning WBC champions make it to the final game, March 22 in Los Angeles, the Yankees won’t get Betances back until March 24 at the earliest.
While he will be managed by Yankees first-base coach Tony Pena and work out daily, the intensity level of WBC games is greater than an exhibition tilt, which could increase the intensity a lot sooner than it normally would and possibly lead to injury.
“You do worry about that a little bit, but they know how to prepare themselves,” said Joe Girardi, who also loses Didi Gregorius, Tyler Clippard, Tommy Layne, Donovan Solano, Giovanny Gallegos and Kellin Deglan to the WBC.