Just over a week after being released by the Boston Red Sox, veteran right-hander Adam Ottavino has already found a new (old) home.
The New York Yankees announced Tuesday morning that they had signed the 39-year-old reliever to a major league contract . Ottavino spent two seasons with the Yankees from 2019-20 prior to his first stint in Boston in 2021.
A veteran of 14 MLB seasons with five different teams, Ottavino has pitched to a 3.49 ERA over 724 regular season appearances. He has accumulated 46 saves and 194 holds in his Major League career. He has remained reliable well into his late 30's, as he has made at least 60 appearances in each of the past four seasons — the first of which was with Boston — with a 3.41 ERA during that span.
Former Red Sox pitcher Adam Ottavino returns to Yankees on new major league deal
Ottavino racked up a career-high 12 saves for the New York Mets in 2023 to go with a 3.21 ERA. He followed that up by going 2-2 with a save and a 4.34 ERA for the Mets last year.
Ottavino spent the past three seasons with the Mets before returning to Boston as a minor league free agent signing during the 2024-25 offseason. His second stint with the Red Sox was a brief one, as he opted out of his contract when he learned that he wouldn't break camp with the team in 2025. He was primarily used in middle relief during his first stint with the club in 2021, pitching to a 4.21 ERA with a 3.96 FIP in 62 innings of work.
Ottavino had a rough go of it in spring training with the Red Sox this year, allowing six earned runs over five Grapefruit League innings for a 10.80 ERA. Even with Liam Hendriks landing on the injured list to start the season, Aroldis Chapman emerging during spring training as the Red Sox's clear No. 1 closer made Ottavino's presence in the Boston bullpen rather redundant. If Ottavino lasts with the Yankees, the Red Sox could face him as early as June 6 in the Bronx.