Betances on track to become Rivera’s heir

NEW YORK — There’s only one Mariano Rivera, the Yankees closer who saved a record 652 regular-season games and 42 more in the postseason over the course of 19 seasons. But Dellin Betances has a chance to reach that level.

“He has a great opportunity that he just has to capitalize [on],” Rivera said Sunday. “And he has the determination to get it done.”

Just like the great Rivera. The parallels between the two strong right-handers in the nascent stages of their careers are too similar to ignore.

The Yankees unveiled a plaque in honor of Rivera, the last player to wear Jackie Robinson’s famous and retired No. 42, on Sunday at Yankee Stadium prior to their 12-3 loss to the Rays. That plaque ultimately will be placed on display with all the others in Monument Park.

On Saturday, the Yanks also honored the 20th anniversary of the 1996 team that defeated the Braves in a six-game World Series, beginning a stretch of five championships and seven American League pennant winners in 14 seasons.

Rivera was the setup man behind World Series Most Valuable Player closer John Wettleland in 1996, and he was the closer on the rest of those teams. Wetteland left for the Rangers as a free agent after saving all four Yankees wins in the ’96 World Series, thus opening the door for Rivera.

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Betances, after several years of bridging the gap to David Robertson, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, has now been thrust into the closer role with the recent trades of the latter two dominant left-handers. The opportunity is certainly there now for Betances.

Here are the other parallels: Rivera was 27 when he took over, and Betances is now 28. Rivera struck out 130 batters in his first full season in 1996, the year he was setting up for Wetteland. Betances eclipsed that …

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