Adam Ottavino

Adam Robert Ottavino (born November 22, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 246 pounds (112 kg), he throws right-handed and is a switch hitter.

Adam Ottavino
Ottavino with the Mets in 2023
New York Mets – No. 0
Pitcher
Born: (1985-11-22) November 22, 1985
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 29, 2010, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through 2023)
Win–loss record39–41
Earned run average3.42
Strikeouts789
Saves45
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Baseball Classic
Silver medal – second place 2023 Miami Team

Amateur career

A native of New York City, Ottavino was born in Manhattan and moved to Brooklyn when he was three years old. He attended elementary school at P.S. 39, The Henry Bristow School in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn,[1] junior high school at I.S. 240 Andries Hudde and graduated from the Berkeley Carroll School in Park Slope in 2003.[2] He played in a summer developmental league with future teammate Dellin Betances, who was a couple of grades younger,[3] and Ottavino described him as very tall and lanky, saying he matured into his well-built 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) structure as he got older.[4] The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected Ottavino in the 30th round of the 2003 MLB draft, but he did not sign.[5]

Ottavino enrolled at Northeastern University, where he played college baseball for the Northeastern Huskies baseball team. Ottavino holds both the Northeastern career and single season records for strikeouts. In 2005, he was named America East Conference's Pitcher of the Year.[6] After the 2005 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[7][8]

Professional career

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Ottavino out of Northeastern University in the first round, with the 30th overall selection, of the 2006 MLB draft.[5] That year, he pitched for the Swing of the Quad Cities of the Class A Midwest League.[9] He pitched for the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AA Texas League in 2008.[10] In 2009, Ottavino pitched for the Memphis Redbirds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL). He had an 0–9 win–loss record in the first half of the season, but had a 7–3 record in the second half.[11]

Ottavino pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals

After the 2009 season, the Cardinals added Ottavino to their 40-man roster.[10] He began the 2010 season with Memphis.[12] On May 29, 2010, Ottavino made his major league debut for the Cardinals as a starter. He appeared in five games for the Cardinals in 2010, three of them starts.[13] After the 2010 season, the Cardinals outrighted Ottavino off of their 40-man roster.[14] He pitched for Memphis in 2011, and the Cardinals re-added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[15]

Colorado Rockies
Ottavino pitching for the Colorado Rockies

On April 3, 2012, the Colorado Rockies claimed Ottavino off of waivers.[16] The Rockies assigned him to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the PCL. They promoted him to the majors later that season, and developed him into a relief pitcher.[5]

In 2013, Ottavino switched his uniform number to 0.[17] Despite posting a 5–1 win–loss record, his earned run average (ERA) was close to 5.00 in 79 innings. In 2013, Ottavino appeared in 51 games, pitching in 78.1 innings and lowering his ERA from the previous season by two runs, registering an ERA of 2.64 for the Rockies. In 2014, Ottavino went 1–4 with a 3.60 ERA in a career high 75 games.

After closer LaTroy Hawkins struggled to open the 2015 season, Ottavino was named the new closer.[18] On May 4, 2015, it was revealed that Ottavino had a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow,[19] which required Tommy John surgery, ending his 2015 season.[20]

After the 2015 season, the Rockies and Ottavino agreed on a three-year contract worth $10.4 million.[21] Ottavino began the 2016 season on the disabled list.[22] After returning, he completed 37 scoreless appearances, in 31 innings pitched, which set a Rockies' franchise record.[23] In 2018, he was 6–4 with a 2.34 ERA, and shared the major league lead in holds, with 34.[24]

Following the 2017 season, Ottavino rented a vacant storefront on St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem from his father-in-law which he converted into a pitching lab. In the lab, he and other local players at lower levels of the sport used technology and data to develop pitches and hone their craft.[25]

New York Yankees
Ottavino pitching for the New York Yankees

On January 24, 2019, the New York Yankees signed Ottavino to a three-year contract worth $27 million.[26] Ottavino became the first Yankee in team history to wear uniform number 0, the last single-digit number not retired by the Yankees.[27] During the 2019 season, Ottavino appeared in 73 games for the Yankees, all in relief, pitching to a 6–5 record with 1.90 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 66+1⁄3 innings pitched.[28] During the shortened 2020 season, he made 24 appearances, all in relief, with a 5.89 ERA and 2–3 record with 25 strikeouts in 18+1⁄3 innings pitched.[28]

Boston Red Sox

On January 25, 2021, the Yankees traded Ottavino and minor league pitcher Frank German to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations or a player to be named later; it was only the second trade between the rivals since 1987.[29] During the regular season, Ottavino made 69 appearances for Boston, all in relief, compiling a 7–3 record with 11 saves and 4.21 ERA; he struck out 71 batters in 62 innings.[28] In the postseason, he made five relief appearances, allowing one run in four innings, as the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series.[28] On November 3, Ottavino elected to become a free agent.[30]

New York Mets

On March 14, 2022, Ottavino signed a one-year contract with the New York Mets.[31] During the regular season, Ottavino made 66 appearances for the Mets, all in relief, compiling a 6–3 record with 3 saves and a vastly improved 2.06 ERA; he struck out 79 batters in 65.2 innings.[28] In his lone postseason appearance, he allowed one run in one inning pitched during Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres.[28] The Mets lost the series the next night.

On December 20, 2022, Ottavino re-signed a two-year contract with the Mets worth $14.5 million.[32]

Personal life

During his first season with the Yankees, Ottavino resided in his childhood neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn, New York City, with his wife, Brette, and their two daughters.[1] They currently live in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.

References
  1. "Colorado Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino remains in a New York state of mind". Denver Post. May 6, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  2. PEARSON, JAKE (June 15, 2010). "Big leagues are in Cards for Brooklyn son: Local kid Adam Ottavino makes MLB debut with St. Louis - NY Daily News". nydailynews.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  3. "Two of Yankees' bullpen studs came up through New York City". January 19, 2019.
  4. Interview with Adam Ottavino, Hot Stove Baseball with John Sterling, Suzyn Waldman, and Joe Castiglione, WFAN Sports Radio, 101.9 FM and 660 AM
  5. "Former St. Louis Cardinals first-round pick Adam Ottavino took long road to big league success with Colorado Rockies – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  6. "Northeastern University Athletics". gonu.com. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  7. "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  8. "2005 Harwich Mariners". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  9. Steve Batterson (August 31, 2006). "Ottavino, hot bats send Swing to sixth straight win | Sports". qctimes.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  10. "8 Springfield Cardinals added to 40-Man Roster". MiLB.com. November 20, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  11. DERRICK GOOLD • dgoold@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8285 (March 22, 2010). "Cardinals consider putting Adam Ottavino in the bullpen | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  12. Goold, Derrick (May 18, 2010). "Ottavino sparkles at Memphis | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  13. "2010 St. Louis Cardinals Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  14. Joe Strauss (November 19, 2010). "Ottavino outrighted as Cards clean up 40-man roster | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  15. "Cardinals add three pitchers to 40-man roster | St. Louis Cardinals". Mlb.com. May 24, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  16. Martin, Andrew (April 3, 2012). "Colorado Rockies claim Adam Ottavino From Cardinals". Purple Row. SB Nation. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  17. "Colorado Rockies' Adam Ottavino to switch to No. 0 for MLB season". Denver Post. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  18. "Adam Ottavino replaces LaTroy Hawkins as Colorado Rockies closer". Espn.com. April 15, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  19. Todd, Jeff (May 4, 2015). "Ottavino had partially torn UCL in right elbow". mlbtraderumors.com. MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  20. Gleeman, Aaron (May 4, 2015). "Ottavino needs Tommy John". hardballtalk.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  21. Wiley, Matt (December 21, 2015). "Ottavino and Rockies agree to $10.4M, 3-year contract | Sports Coverage". gazette.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  22. "Rockies claim catcher Tony Wolters from Indians". USA Today. February 18, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  23. Harding, Thomas (May 24, 2018). "Adam Ottavino's scoreless games streak ends | Colorado Rockies". Mlb.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  24. "Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Pitchers » Standard Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  25. Foley, Matt; Owens, Michael (February 10, 2019). "Adam Ottavino's Harlem Hide-Out". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  26. "Free-agent relief pitcher Adam Ottavino to sign with New York Yankees". Espn.com. January 18, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  27. "Adam Ottavino will be first New York Yankees player to wear No. 0". NorthJersey.com. January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  28. "Adam Ottavino Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  29. "Yanks send Ottavino to Sox in rare deal for rivals". January 25, 2021.
  30. "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. November 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  31. "METS SIGN RHP ADAM OTTAVINO". March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  32. "Mets, still working through Carlos Correa situation, finalize Adam Ottavino contract".
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