Why Yankees’ Dellin Betances can’t stop bleeding

Yankees reliever Dellin Betances continues to bleed on the mound from his right ring finger, though it didn’t stop him from closing a 4-2 win over the Mariners in Seattle on Saturday.

SEATTLE — The blood gets on the ball and the ball gets harder to throw.

Pain isn’t the problem. Grip is, and it’s something Dellin Betances still hasn’t figured out, with the cut on his right ring finger playing a starring — and gross — role in a 4-2 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field on Saturday.

Betances couldn’t stop bleeding when he loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning and then finally worked his way out of it.

“It just bothers me when there’s a lot of blood and the grip becomes uncomfortable to be honest with you,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me holding the ball. If there’s a lot of blood, then the ball just doesn’t stand still in my hand, and that’s where it could affect the way I through my pitches. But that’s it.”

Judge takes another step

Manager Aaron Boone said his pitcher will simply have to cope.

“Unfortunately, we’re used to seeing it. … It’s something unfortunately he has to deal with sometimes. We just try to stay on top of it the best we can,” Boone said.

Betances gave up a leadoff double to Mitch Haniger on a flare to right field. After he struck out Jean Segura swinging, Betances hit Robinson Cano — a good friend of Betances from Cano’s Yankees days — on the foot with an errant slider. Then Betances walked the powerful Nelson Cruz, filling the bags.

Betances worked out of it, though, striking out Denard Span on a foul tip and Kyle Seager swinging.

Betances has been filling in as closer with Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) on the disabled list. The Yankees have said they think Chapman will return in time for the playoffs.

If not, they might have to rely on bloody Betances, who has been wiping the blood on his pants.

Here’s how Dellin Betances is managing the blood — wiping it on his pants. pic.twitter.com/RNMO7VWeJg

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) September 9, 2018

“We’ve been trying to do the best we can, it’s just so raw right now that I can just tap it and it starts bleeding,” he said. “That’s the problem. We’re going to try to continue to get it better but it’s just tender right now, I guess.”

Betances added, “I was good for about three weeks and then I got myself pretty good, I think it was probably three or four games ago. And now I’ve been getting myself every game. Just a matter of hopefully letting that heal. I’ve been trying to do a lot of stuff but it’s just one of those annoying things.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.