Adam Ottavino: Mets Brooklyn Born Italian / American Relief Pitcher (2022 - 2024)
Italian Upbringing: The Italian /American New Yorker said his Italian upbringing always had him around food with parents, grandparents & in laws always thinking he needed more to eat. His father was also a good cook he added. In 2009 he would pitch for Team Italy in the WBC.
In 2006 he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as a first-round pick, the 30th player chosen overall.
On May 29th, 2010, Ottavino debuted for the Cardinals, making a start giving up four runs to the Cubs at Wrigley Field taking a loss. He made two more starts, including a six run, nine hit outing in 3.2 innings to the Diamondbacks in Arizona. He was put in the bullpen then sent back down in early July. After pitching 2011 in the minors, he was placed on waivers & picked up by the Colorado Rockies.
Ottavino went a surprising 5-1 in his first season at Colorado although his ERA was 4.56. He spent seven seasons with the Rockies, pitching as a reliever. In those years he was 17-18 with 17 saves & a 3.41 ERA making 361 appearances. He would make 75 appearances twice in those seven seasons, finishing 15 games or more three times. In 2018 he had a career high 112 strike outs in 77.2 innings pitched.
Trivia: In 2013 he changed his uniform number to 0. He was the first played on the A.L. New York club to don that number as it is also the only single digit not retired by the team.
In 2019 he signed a three-year deal with the A.L. New York team, having a solid first year there making 73 appearances with a 6-5 record & a 1.90 ERA.
2019 Post Season: He appeared in all three games of the ALDS & five games of the ALCS loss to the Astros. In Game #2 he gave up a game tying HR to George Springer, Houston won it on Carlos Correa's walk off HR.
After the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. In 2021 he went 7-3 with 11 saves for the Red Sox, posting a 4.21 ERA.
2021 Post Season: In Game #1 of the ALDS, Ottavino pitched a scoreless 8th inning finishing the game 5-0 loss to the Tampa Rays. In the ALCS he made four appearances in the loss to the Astros, getting credit for a hold in Game #4. In Game #6 he gave up a three run HR to Kyle Tucker in the 5-0 loss.
On April 19th, he collected his first victory, coming in an extra inning win over the Giants, highlighted by Francisco Lindor's walk off base hit. On April 30th he blew a 1-0 lead serving up a HR to the Phillies Kyle Schwaber & RBI double to Odubel Herrera, taking his first loss.
In May he earned a win against the Mariners & at the end of June took a loss in Miami allowing awalk off HR to Nick Fortes to get to 2-2.
On the regular season he was 6-3 with three saves posting a 2.06 ERA, striking out 79 batters walking 16 in 65.2 innings. He made a team leading 66 appearances finishing off 19 games. Adam threw seven wild pitches (9th most in the NL).
2022 Post Season: In the Wild Card loss to the Padres, he came in relief of Edwin Diaz in the 8th inning, striking out Brandon Drury to end the inning. In the 9th he gave up three walks & hit a batter, allowing a run before being replaced by Seth Lugo who closed out the 7-2 Mets win.
2023:
After a disappointing post season, the Mets 2023 season was even more of a disaster. The Mets signed Ottavino to a two-year deal that December.
When Edwin Diaz went down for the season after an embarrassing season ending injury at the WBC, the Mets closer job was up for grabs. David Roberston would lead with 14 saves & Ottavino was second with 12.
On Opening Day, he pitched a scoreless 8th inning against the Marlins to earn a hold in the 6-2 win. On April 12th, he earned his first save closing out a 5-2 win over the Padres at Citi Field. Later that week he earned two saves in Los Angeles on the west coast road trip.
Ottavino blew an 8th inning lead taking the 6-5 loss in the first game. That month he reached his 5th save, finishing up a May 26th win at Colorado & closed out the month with credit in two holds in a series with the Phillies.
On July 15th, he was credited with a loss in the Mets 5-1 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field, that dropped him to 0-4.
From august 13th to September 18th, He allowed just one earned run & four hits in 13.2 innings in 13 appearances, posting a 0.66 ERA. Ottavino did not get his first victory until August 27th in a win over the L.A. Angels at Cirti Field. It was his only win of the long season.
In September he would collect five saves but also took three losses, two of them in his last two appearances.
On the season he went 1-7 with 12 saves & 11 holds posting a 3.21 ERA striking out 62 & walking 29 in 61.1 innings. His 36 games finished was tenth in the league. Ottavino was granted free agency after the season.
Career Stats: In his 13-year career he has pitched for five teams, including both New York teams.
He is 39-41 with 45 saves & a 3.42 ERA. He has struck out 79 walked 303 in 687 innings in 664 appearances.
Family: Adam & his wife Brette have two daughters & reside in Dyker Heights Brooklyn.
Trivia- Pitching Lab: In 2017 he rented a vacant store front in Harlem that his father-in-law owned on St. Nicholas Ave. He converted the former Chuck E. Cheese it into a pitching lab. At first he used it after dropping his kids off at school & then it became a place to instruct as well as learn from the data of technology for amateur players. Many big leaguers also stopped by to lend a hand.
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