The Yankees have signed veteran reliever Adam Ottavino, previously released by the Red Sox, to a major league contract. His addition comes after Devin Williams was placed on the paternity list and JT Brubaker was transferred to the 60-day IL. Ottavino, 39, boasts 14 MLB seasons and a career 3.49 ERA, with consistent reliability over recent years. Despite struggles with the Mets last season, advanced metrics suggest potential improvement. The Yankees, familiar with Ottavino’s ups and downs from his previous tenure (2019-2020), expect to utilize his experience, particularly amid current bullpen injuries. Another roster move may be required upon Williams’ return.
The Yankees have officially signed veteran reliever Adam Ottavino to a major league deal, as announced by the team this morning. The right-handed pitcher was let go by the Red Sox in March. With Devin Williams being placed on the paternity list, this temporarily opens a spot for Ottavino on the active roster, while JT Brubaker has been moved to the 60-day IL, clearing the way for Ottavino on the 40-man roster.
At 39 years old, Ottavino boasts 14 MLB seasons under his belt. In his 724 regular season appearances, he holds a 3.49 ERA and a 3.44 SIERA, tallying 46 saves and 194 holds. Despite his age, he has proven to be dependable in recent years. He has appeared in at least 60 games each of the past four seasons, maintaining a 3.41 ERA and a 3.52 SIERA during that stretch. Although his 4.34 ERA with the Mets last season wasn’t particularly stellar, his 3.19 xERA and 3.27 SIERA suggest that he could rebound in 2025. While his ERA may not reflect it, he excelled in generating strikeouts and inducing weak contact—two important factors for success. Moreover, Ottavino is just one year removed from a solid 3.21 ERA performance in 2023 and two years removed from an impressive 2.06 ERA in 2022. However, his success with the Yankees isn’t guaranteed. There’s a reason the Mets excluded him from their NLCS roster last fall, and why the Red Sox released him this spring. Nonetheless, his extensive experience is why the Yankees are giving him another chance. After all, this team knows the ups and downs of the Ottavino journey better than most. The righty spent two years with the Yankees in 2019 and 2020, achieving a 1.90 ERA in 73 games during his first season and a 5.89 ERA in 24 games during his second.
The Yankees’ bullpen hasn’t been hit quite as severely by injuries as their rotation. However, they are currently missing Ian Hamilton (virus), Jonathan Loáisiga (recovering from elbow surgery), and Scott Effross (hamstring strain). Ottavino can provide valuable depth in the short term. Once Williams returns from the paternity list, the Yankees will have to make another roster move if they wish to keep Ottavino in the bullpen. The most likely scenario would involve sending Brent Headrick to Triple-A. Headrick, 27, still has one option year left.
Brubaker, 31, suffered three broken ribs early in spring training and will be sidelined until mid-to-late May. Acquired from the Pirates last March, the right-hander hasn’t seen action in the majors since 2022. He missed all of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and only made a few minor league rehab appearances in 2024. When healthy, he showed promise as a capable back-end innings eater, starting 61 games for Pittsburgh from 2020 to 2022 with a 4.99 ERA but a more favorable 4.04 SIERA, averaging just over five innings per outing.