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The Colorado Rockies and right-handed reliever Rafael Betancourt have agreed to a contract extension, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes. The extension guaranteed Betancourt's $4.25 million mutual option with the club for 2013, while also adding a team option for 2014.
The 36-year-old was essentially given the closer's job moving forward after the team dealt reliever Huston Street to the Padres. And it didn't hurt that the righty posted a 2.89 ERA across 62 1/3 innings of work with an incredible 10.5 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9 (9.13 strikeout-to-walk ratio) while pitching in Coors Field. With those strong peripheral numbers, sabermetrics say Betancourt actually pitched better than that (2.53 FIP) and should pitch better than that next year (2.66 xFIP).
It's always hard to tell with relievers, though, and it doesn't help knowing Betancourt is on the wrong side of his 30s and pitching in Coors Field of all parks.