FORT MYERS, Fla. — When Adam Ottavino’s latest foray into free agency didn’t go as planned, he decided to head to a place he has already called home at a couple different stages of his life.
The 39-year-old Northeastern alum pitched for the Red Sox in 2021 and helped the Red Sox reach the ALCS that year, so when Boston came calling again this winter, the club immediately piqued his interest. The Red Sox, like most other teams, weren’t willing to give Ottavino a guaranteed major league contract after an up-and-down season with the Mets. It took until recently for him to start considering a non-roster invite (NRI) deal. Once he did, the Red Sox emerged victorious.
“I talked to Boston for a long time. It was a long process,” Ottavino said. “Once I was open to the NRI situations, I got a lot of offers really fast after that. I was parsing through that, trying to figure out what move to make. I had one MLB offer but I didn’t want to take it in that location. I just kept doing my research and talking to the teams, then made this decision last night.”
Ottavino’s new deal, which became official late Tuesday, will allow him to compete for a job in Alex Cora’s bullpen, but it comes with no guarantees. With a strong showing in Fort Myers, he could make the Opening Day roster; if he does, he’ll receive a $2 million base salary. If not, he’ll have the ability to opt out of the deal and test free agency again five days before the end of camp.
For Ottavino, familiarity is key.
“It helps that I’ve been here before and I know A.C., the trainers and a lot of people in the organization,” he said. “From a situation of making a club, I’ll be given a little more grace initially.
“Also, the upside of the team is really good. I like the moves they made and it’s a place I love playing, so it was kind of a no-brainer once I felt like I had a decent shot.”
Ottavino emerged as a bullpen weapon over seven seasons in Colorado before joining the Yankees before 2019, spending two years in the Bronx, and then being traded in a rare Red Sox-Yankees deal before the 2021 campaign. In his one year with the Sox, he pitched to a 4.21 ERA but had a better FIP (3.96) and struck out 71 batters in 62 innings. Come playoff time, he was a weapon for Cora and his staff. Ottavino pitched in the seventh or eighth for the Red Sox but also recorded 11 saves.
“He took the ball. He’s not afraid of the moment,” Cora said. “And he’s a guy with good stuff.”
Ottavino also served as a veteran leader on a pitching staff that included young pitchers Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock, who are now established pieces in Boston.
“He was such a huge mentor,” Whitlock said Tuesday. “When he texted me tonight, ‘See you tomorrow,’ it was a great thing. I was so happy to have him back. Happy to see his face. He’s just an amazing teammate, an amazing veteran, an amazing presence. I was all smiles when I got here this morning.”
In the last three winters since his season with the Red SOx, Ottavino signed three consecutive one-year deals with the Mets. In 2024, he took a step back, pitching to a 4.34 ERA (his highest in a full season in 2017). The veteran dominated in April but posted a 9.28 ERA in 12 May outings before settling down to the tune of a 3.63 ERA and 3.72 FIP in the final four months of the year.
Ottavino, never satisfied, took the rare step of playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic and logged three scoreless outings there in an effort to fine-tune some things.
“I was just trying to figure out ways to get better and some of them backfired,” he said. “I tried to lean on my cutter a little bit early in the season. I had a really great April, then probably my worst month ever in May. I really hadn’t changed my strategy so it took me a little while to realize what the right changes to make were.”
In Boston, Ottavino joins a crowded field of bullpen candidates. The Red Sox have Liam Hendriks, Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock, Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson locked into the mix, then have Brennan Bernardino, Luis Guerrero, Zack Kelly, Zach Penrod, Greg Weissert, Josh Winckowski and non-roster options Austin Adams, Isaiah Campbell, Michael Fulmer, Bryan Mata, Wyatt Mills and Jovani Moran in camp as well. He has more major league success than everyone in that group, making him an interesting guy to watch in the coming weeks.
“Just be myself, show that I’m a useful guy to bring up north and that I can help the team win,” Ottavino said.
Ottavino will be hard to miss in Fort Myers. He wore No. 0 in 2021 with the Red Sox but that number now belongs to Walker Buehler, who is just the third player in franchise history to don it. With that, Ottavino will wear No. 00, a Red Sox first. He said was a no-brainer to get creative after Buehler recorded the last out of the World Series in October.
“He’s here and it’s his number so it’s all good… We’re gonna give the people what they want,” Ottavino said.
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