Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Predicted to Surprisingly Reunite With Veteran Hurler

Could the New York Yankees bring one of their former bullpen staples back to the Bronx next season?

Grant Young

Mar 8, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Adam Ottavino (0) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Mar 8, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Adam Ottavino (0) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images
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Now that the New York Yankees' World Series dreams came to an unsatisfying end on Wednesday, their focus can fully turn to how they're going to improve their roster in the offseason.

The Yankees constantly needing to rely on (and ultimately overuse) closer Luke Weaver in late-inning situations conveyed that they could use more depth in the back end of their bullpen.

While there will be several top-tier relievers available on this year's free agency market, an October 30 article from Bleacher Report's Joel Rueter suggested that the Yankees should consider reuniting with right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino this offseason.

"Ottavino made at least 60 appearances for the eighth time in his career and the fourth year in a row in 2024, posting a 4.34 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in 60 games with the New York Mets while playing on a one-year, $4.5 million deal. The slider specialist spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Yankees, and even at 38 years old, he is still a solid bullpen piece with ample late-inning experience," Rueter wrote.

He later included Ottavino in his projected Opening Day roster for the Yankees' 2025 season.

Since Ottavino's two-year Yankees tenure didn't end well (proven by his 5.89 regular season ERA and 13.50 postseason ERA during the COVID-shortened 2020 reseason), it's easy to forget that he was elite for the team in 2019, posting a 1.90 ERA in 73 appearances (66.1 innings).

Ottavino's best days are almost surely behind him. But he could still become a valued piece of the Yankees' bullpen next season if they do decide to pursue him.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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