The Mets announced the re-signing of veteran reliever Adam Ottavino to a one-year contract on Tuesday evening. A client of WME Baseball, Ottavino is reportedly guaranteed $4.5MM.
The arrangement will see Ottavino return to Queens for a third consecutive season just months after the right-hander declined a $6.75MM player option with the club. Earlier this week, Ottavino discussed his decision to decline that option during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast. The 38-year-old veteran made clear that while he loved being part of the Mets organization, he had concerns at the time about the club’s future given their at-the-time uncertain managerial situation and rumors the club planned to take a step back during the 2024 campaign. That sort of situation wasn’t appealing to Ottavino, as he noted that he hopes to win a World Series before his career comes to a close.
Since Ottavino’s decision to test the open market, the club has stayed active at the lower levels of free agency and on the trade market. The club shored up its hitting corps by bringing in outfielders Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor alongside infielder Joey Wendle, while the bullpen was bolstered by the addition of Jorge Lopez. The most impactful changes can be found in the starting staff, where the Mets have acquired Sean Manaea, Adrian Houser, and Luis Severino to join incumbent arms Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana as members of the rotation mix.
Those additions, along with the hiring of former Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as manager, seem to have given Ottavino the confidence in New York’s chances in 2024 necessary for him to re-sign with the club. While the player option declined by the right-hander back in November came with a nominally larger guarantee, it’s important to note that Ottavino previously told the New York Post’s Joel Sherman that $4MM of his $6.75MM salary would have been deferred. This deal includes no such deferred money, meaning that today’s deal actually improves upon the previously-declined option in terms of present value.
The veteran figures to provide a stabilizing force in the Mets’ bullpen for the 2024 campaign behind star closer Edwin Diaz, where he’ll likely share set-up duties with the likes of Brooks Raley and Drew Smith. It’s a role Ottavino is familiar with, as the righty has notched 179 holds throughout his 13-year tenure in the majors on top of his 45 career saves. Since establishing himself as a fixture of the Rockies’ bullpen back in 2012, Ottavino has compiled a strong 3.25 ERA and 3.52 FIP across 659 appearances with Colorado, Boston, and both New York clubs. By measure of ERA+, the veteran has never posted a campaign below league average during a 162-game season, with the lone blemish on that resume being 18 1/3 innings of 5.89 ERA ball during the shortened 2020 campaign.
That kind of stable production figures to be a major boost for the Mets’ relief corps, which struggled badly down the stretch after parting ways with closer David Robertson at the trade deadline last summer. Following the deadline, Mets relievers struggled to a 5.19 ERA that was bottom-six in the majors during that timeframe. Ottavino, by contrast, was a bright spot in the club’s bullpen down the stretch with a 2.55 ERA and a 28.9% strikeout rate in 19 appearances during which he picked up six saves. Given that strong performance, it’s hardly a surprise that the club landed upon a reunion with the veteran as a resolution to their search for additional bullpen help. Going forward, it’s possible the club could look to make an addition at third base or DH, though president of baseball operations David Stearns has made clear that the club doesn’t want to take opportunities away from young players like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos with external additions.
The deal makes Ottavino the latest bullpen arm to come off the market in recent weeks. The right-hander joins the likes of David Robertson, Robert Stephenson, Aroldis Chapman, Hector Neris, and Matt Moore in signing a new deal shortly relief ace Josh Hader recently agreed to a five-year pact with the Astros earlier this month. Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, and Ryan Brasier are among the best options remaining for clubs looking to strengthen their relief corps.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported the Mets and Ottavino were in agreement on a one-year, $4.5MM contract. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
10centBeerNight
NYM fans should be pleased with this. Got him at a good $ based on market. Proved he can handle NY, where if you fail you get slammed in 100 different languages and by 200 different media outlets. Including 2 old man yells at cloud sports radio stations. Stearns cooking. More coming
I Like Big Bunts
NYC: Land of Sports Champions
Nosferatu Zodd
3 Championships this millennium.
rmullig2
It is 4 championships.
AHH-Rox
Do we count the teams that play in New Jersey?
Nosferatu Zodd
2 Giants and 1 Yankees. Am I missing any of the 5 major American sports? NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAAF, NCAAMB. No NBA championships in 50 years with 2 teams. No college either.now Boston is much more of a championship city.
ChuckyNJ
You left out Gotham FC, who won the NWSL title last fall.
Soccer IS a major sport!
mlb fan
“Soccer IS a”…That’s debatable.
A-Rod the GOAT
I think this millennium would include year 2000 so if so, it would be 4 with 2000 and 2009 for Yankees and 2007 and 2011 for Giants.
Regardless, pretty sad given the # of teams NYC has as well as their financial resources
WiffleBall
Is it that sad? I am from NYC and I think it’s fine. In the last 25 years alone there have been plenty of championships, and there’s barely ever a year where there aren’t at least two or three teams in their respective playoffs, and usually at least one has a real chance to win it all.
I’m not greedy — that’s good enough for me.
LordD99
I think you might overreacting. Too many 10 cent beers.
westcoastmetsfan
Not really. The guy adds at least one base to every base runner because he is terrible at holding runners on. Probably the worst in baseball
JoeBrady
Checked it. They stole 21/22 attempts. That’s only 1:3 baserunners, but still pretty bad.
halloffamernobodycares
your math isn’t mathing
That’s 10.5 of every 11 baserunners or 10.5:11 ratio. Where are you getting 1:3?
whyhayzee
46 hits minus 7 home runs = 39 base runners.
29 walks plus 8 hit by pitch = 37 base runners.
39 plus 37 = 76
21 stolen bases.
21 divided by 76 is less than one third.
andremets
You left out inherited baserunners
LordD99
Yes. That’s why I think 10centsbeer was being overly optimistic about how great this signing is. Perhaps it’s sarcasm on his part. Otto remains useful, but nothing to rave about.
10centBeerNight
Really commenting on the value based on recent set up signings. And that there’s a significant improvement from having Ottavino as your RH 8th inning arm with Raley than Drew Smith. Think they still need another reliable late inning arm and a DH with pop to be a WC contender. I bet Stearns is at work on that.
LordD99
Fair enough!
JackStrawb
Sure. -0.1 fWAR in 2023, 4.52 FIP, couldn’t beat $4.5m on the market. What a great move.
baseballteam
Why would anyone live in NYC or nearby? Seriously wondering.
joebourgeois
Because it’s the cultural capital of the world.
MetsSchmets
I speak as one of the 25 million complete idiots living here: we’re just not as smart as you. How’s Sioux Falls this time of year?
The real Oscar Gamble
Might not be any relievers left by the end of the weekend the way its moving.
Braves_saints_celts
Well he absolutely screwed himself. The market for relievers made it seem like he would get better money than he opted away from, only to sign a contract, for less money, with the same team he opted away from.
mlb fan
“Screwed himself”…You win some and you lose some.
stymeedone
To leave because they were taking a step back, then to watch them actually take the step back, means he re-signed because of the money. Gotta love a merc.
Trotski
That’s pretty funny, well said!
Niekro floater
It was his strong morals n ol skool baseball ethics that led em to purposely lose $2.25Million … he shuned em until they made all there improvements ? Then cut em deal they couldn’t refuse ? Like player asking 4arbitration # that’s lower than teams arbitration offer … doh !
drasco036
I disagree, what better way for a reliever is there to end up with a contender than signing with a non-contender on a one year deal? Chapman has been traded twice and won a World Series both times.
budman_63755
Did you not read the article at all? Much of the money was deferred in the old contract. He will make more money this year than he would’ve made with the old contract..
terry g
Only for this year, Overall he would have made 2.75 more under the old contract.
Bill
Well, apparently $4m of the year he declined in the previous contract was going to be deferred, so maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.
bjhaas1977
It’s not deferred money with this contract I’m guessing. The old contract the money was deferred for a few years.
lesterdnightfly
You’re guessing? It says so, right in the article.
Duh!
Braves_saints_celts
I agree, but he definitely lost this one. He’s rich, he’s a lot richer than me that’s for sure, but even then 6.75 mil is better than 4.5 mil and hed be 2.25 mil more richer had he just opted in. I thought he’d atleast get 8 mil the way this market has been paying relievers, and I for sure thought he’d be wearing a different uni this year.
williemaysfield
the previous contract had deferred money. Technically it could be a wash depending on how long the money was deferred. For example the othani contract present day worth is 46m but will be paid 68m ten years later.
myaccount2
One could easily argue that $4.5M upfront will be more valuable than $6.75M over 10 years due to inflation reducing the value.
Zerbs63
Wow agent effed him
ham77
4 in the hand is better than 6.75 in the bush
Braves_saints_celts
Maybe for us peasants but I highly doubt he’s stressing over money. If I’m already rich I’d rather take the 6.75 mil over a period of time than 4.5 mil upfront.
LordD99
He gambled, didn’t work out as he expected, but he’s banked over $50MM. He’ll get by fine on his $4.5MM this year!
CKinSTL
I thought the same thing, at first. The option he turned down had $4 million deferred for 8 to 10 years. This is a far better deal.
LordD99
That’s a good point.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I’ll take 4.5 million and not complain
YourDreamGM
Made more $. Dollar likely gets weaker every year. Even if it doesn’t he has 4 million to invest right now. Plenty to invest in right now. 2 4 6 years from know or whatever who knows.
Salzilla
Oops sorry, brosef.
TrillionaireTeamOperator
Whoops…. lost out on $2.25M? Or am I missing some angle to this? I seem to recall he said he wanted to stay with the Mets and was leaning toward activating the player option but then he didn’t?
I can’t imagine there was some kind of intentional strategy to giving up $2.25M?
CravenMoorehead
In the grand scheme of things he’s made $50 million over his entire career so unless he’s blowing lines like Doc Gooden in the 80s I think he’ll be ok.
GareBear
Most of the money on his previous contract was deferred so present day value of the contract was lower than that base number. Imagining this deal either includes escalators or has no deferred money.
CKinSTL
The Atheletic is reporting $4 million of that option was deferred for 8 to 10 years
lesterdnightfly
You
Are
Missing
What
It
Said
In
The
Article.
READ!!!!
archboy
In a corresponding move an agent is getting fired…
spudchukar
My thoughts exactly! Does he really deserve a percentage of the deal.
User 2161944466
He’s represented by an agency in California with 7 employees and literally only one of them is an agent. You’d think they’d be doing more!
YourDreamGM
Market is what it is. He made more $. Maybe not as much as he hoped.
LordD99
Mistakes were made.
Yankee Clipper
If winning a WS was the primary reason he opted out, then why sign with the same team? Sounds like justification based in the desire to make more money, imo. I’m not slamming him for that, just making an observation that his reasons for declining don’t really pass muster. It was the motivation of money for which he opted out and the same motive for which he signed back with the same team.
Win some, lose some I guess. I think most of the Boras clients this year are going to realize their mistake was playing Boras’ “stall and try to create a market” game.
LordD99
Clip, yes, as you know, it’s almost always about money. I suspect his agent, All Bases Covered (have they been fired yet?), figured the market would pay more based on recent history, but each free agent market is different. Otto has two issues: Declining peripherals and his age. They might have been banking on a two-year deal totaling more than $6.75MM, going for the guaranteed money, but teams only wanted to go for one. I’m sure he also wanted to stay in NY, preferring the Yankees, but they didn’t seem too happy with him at the end his first time around. The two sides haven’t been connected at all.
Wandy or Middleton may want to take whatever the Yankees are offering. Prices seem to be dropping.
deGrom/Langford Texas Ranger
That is incredibly cheap. This, along with the Scott Pruitt (sub 3 ERA) minors signing show that perhiperal stats matter way more than ERA in future contracts. While that makes sense, it was never this extreme. If it were, Zach Britton would never have gotten that much money. The same goes for Mariano Rivera. I guess projections and perhiperals now outweigh a demonstrated history of success in contracts.
spudchukar
The agent needs to be designated for assignment, demoted to AA, or given his outright release.
Curveball1984
This, ikr
raisinsss
This deal includes no such deferred money, meaning that today’s deal actually improves upon the previously-declined option in terms of present value.
Outfieldflyrule??
More trade deadline bait….
2differentslidertradandnontrad
Adam Ottavino throws the Roger Beshens football slider. On center grip, throw like a football, stiff wrist. That’s the blueprint for the elite teams, just teach that pitch but the Mets can’t hire competent coaches to do so.
oldgfan
He’s baaak.
YourDreamGM
He should have learned to throw a pitch that would make him more $.
2differentslidertradandnontrad
Pitch design never designed any pitch. There’s a new slider in town since May 2018, a traditional slider and a Roger Beshens Football Slider. If the wrist is stiff it’s a slider, if rolled it’s a curve. David Adler calling it gyro and sweeper is taking MLB down a rabbit hole he will never get out and MLB is going to pay a heavy price cause of him.
YourDreamGM
No idea who Roger Beshens and David Adler are.
2differentslidertradandnontrad
The non traditional slider you’re watching since May 2018 by Cole, Snell, Glasnow and hundreds more is no fluke, the grip, tilt and wrist action on that non traditional slider is much different than the one Verlander threw in Detroit. Roger Beshens contacted David Adler in 2018 about his football slider, then David Adler named the Roger Beshens football slider the Sweeper. If you don’t know about the Sweeper as a type of pitch in MLB then there’s no helping you.
This one belongs to the Reds
Doh!
Cincyfan85
The most positive comment in months. Congrats! Lol… I love you even though you are a pessimist.
This one belongs to the Reds
You forgot about when they signed Suter!
I just want to see them past this long post 1990 drought, like a lot of other long time fans. They now have the longest time since winning a postseason series now that the Lions won.
Cincyfan85
Yeah, same. I was just telling my wife last night about how losing makes winning so much sweeter. If we win the World Series this year, it will mean everything to me. Probably how Rangers felt last year. Now if the Rangers win again, it will be cool, but it won’t top 2023 by a long shot. Look how much it meant for the Red Sox or Cubs to win the World Series. Or the Mariners just to make the post season in 2022. The Twins had one of the best 2023 post season atmospheres. You could tell those fans were overdue. That’s how I hope Cincinnati is in 2024.
spudchukar
Ottovino has one flaw. He cannot hold runner. Which is becoming more and more important.
Sourhaze
That’s my gripe with this. I watched it happen all year
LordD99
Two flaws. Yes, not holding runners is even more damaging with the running game increasing. Second, he has bad platoon splits, with his OPS nearly 200 pts.higher against lefties in 2023 and for his career. That puts some limitations on when he’s deployed due to the three-batter minimum.
Yanks2
This guy is a great pitcher but he’s too cocky
gbs42
This guy is a good commenter but he’s too cocky.
CeruleanDrew
Too cocky for a Yanks fan!! I don’t if that’s even possible. Especially for an MLB veteran with Ottavino’s track record.
Cincyfan85
You think he’d get a little more. After Neris and now Ottavino, it seems like there may be some deals to be had at the end of free agency… on relievers at least.
CaseyAbell
He’s coming off a decent year and he hands $2.25 million back to the Mets? Okay, deferrals possibly lessen the amount. But why should he give back any money? It’s not like Cohen needs it.
Guess he’s just a New York kind of guy. There must have been a better deal somewhere else.
CaseyAbell
Oh, it’s $1.25 million including the buyout on the player option. Still a lot of money to give back to the club.
ChuckyNJ
The Mets needed that money cos if Justin Verlander pitches 140 innings for Houston this summer that triggers a $35 million option that vests in 2025 — and the Mets would be on the hook for $17.5 million.
More proof of why LOLmets endures.
YourDreamGM
He made more. Didn’t give anything back.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
If the Mets just man up and sign Bauer Outage, they will be right back in contention.
CaseyAbell
My guess is that Bauer signs a richer contract (compared to his 2023 deal) with a team in Japan. The blunt fact is that he’s blacklisted in the States. He can still make good money in Japanese ball, though nothing close to his U.S. market value.
Somehow I think there might be a lawsuit brewing in all this. We’ll see.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
True, especially considering the fact that his name is bigger in Japan than Othani at this point.
Holden Bases
Bader and Marte are 2/3rds of their starting outfield. That’s a high risk situation. Who gets on base enough to give Alonso and Lindor people to knock in? While their pitching is suspect enough, their offense needs a kickstarter. I don’t see them as one pitcher (especially one a few seasons removed from MLB) away from contention. Too many NL teams are ahead of them, including at least two in their own division.
radhippo
Agent or whoever was in charge of negotiations should be fired immediately!!
JoeBrady
Whose decision was it?
radhippo
I don’t know, but dang that mistake is more than most people make in a lifetime!
carlos15
He made a $2.25m mistake
YourDreamGM
No he didn’t
just_thinkin
That’s a good deal, shoot.
Old York
Guy’s gonna chuck!
Zheff F
Welcome back, 0!
Jeff in Jersey
Is it the likes of Brooks Raley and Drew Smith? Or is it Brooks Raley and Drew Smith?
Hate to pick on wording but you guys use “the likes of” super often and it adds nothing.
JackStrawb
@Jeff in Jersey Well said, though I feel the same way about the use of “super.”
Ma4170
Well, as a met fan, unfortunately called this one. I enjoy his analysis, but walks too many and cant hold runners. If they dont get another RP, maybe stanek, this BP is in trouble
phenomenalajs
How do you figure that? As long as he’s not closing, he should be fine. They may pick up another bullpen arm like Loup.
JackStrawb
This bullpen is dismal. They just added a fake setup man for $4.5m, who wasn’t quite as good as replacement level in 2023 (negative 0.1 fWAR), with a 4.52 FIP, a heroically lucky BABIP, a 4.33 xFIP, 4.04 SIERA…
Pick your poison. They needed a very good arm. Instead they got a 38 yo coming off a bad albeit lucky year.
10centBeerNight
Will be fascinating to see what effect this NYM pitching lab has on the mid tier pen arms
JackStrawb
Well, my friend, you’re already claiming castoffs, rejects, failures, and AAAA arms are “mid-tier” so it’s clear the ‘pitching lab’ has already planted the seeds of magical thinking.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Still too much for the Red Sox. What a joke
JoeBrady
You seriously wanted Ottavino’s 4.52 FIP? We have 9 guys that figure to out-perform that number.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
It would be nice to have a veteran back end option instead of these no names we get out of nowhere and DFA in all eventuality.
Your FIP is based on 2023 alone, so that’s kind of flawed. Look at the past three years, he’s been effective outside of the last. Would’ve rather han him than Cooper Crispies or whoever that guy is.
drasco036
Can you tell me what FIP actually is without looking it up? Not Fielding Independent Pitching but what that actually means…
filihok
Nice work MLBTR in not R
reporting the PV of the previous contact so people think he lost 2 million dollars
You really need to start reporting PV
dankyank
Why mess with success? Ottavino has been an absolute rock for the Mets over the last two seasons. Now Cashman needs to follow Stearns’ lead and bring back Middleton.
jvent
What a dummy, lost $2.25 million lol
AHH-Rox
Tell me you didn’t read all the way to the end of the article without saying you didn’t read all the way to the end.
Attystephenadams
Prices are dropping as we get closer to ST. The word on the street was that the Mets had $10 mil more to spend on the BP. Look for another signing in the next week.
YourDreamGM
Can’t get a free agent reliever of this talent for much cheaper. Good signing.
Domingo111
The Mets sign a really good Bullpen for 2019:)
JackStrawb
Yes, if you look at his underlying numbers and how much good luck he had, this is a very weak signing for a dismal bullpen.
Drew Smith’s +0.1 fWAR in 2023 does do a nice job of balancing out Otto’s –0.1 fWAR, so the Mets are paying around $6.5m for over the hill, 30yo and 38yo replacement level relievers who combined for a 4.47 FIP in 2023. .
Brilliant work, Stearns.
Mrski
Goes to show you once again, only players from New York want to play in New York.
raisinsss
Once more for the slow kids:
This deal includes no such deferred money, meaning that today’s deal actually improves upon the previously-declined option in terms of present value.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
That is one BIG dude.