Just days after being designated for assignment, veteran reliever Adam Ottavino is back with the Yankees. The team re-signed the 39-year-old right-hander on Sunday evening, according to SNY’s Andy Martino. This move follows Ottavino clearing waivers and choosing free agency over accepting an outright assignment to the minors. He is expected to join the big-league team for Monday’s series opener in Detroit against the Tigers.
The Yankees didn’t need to make a corresponding roster move to accommodate Ottavino’s return to the 40-man roster since they already had an open spot — the same spot that was vacated when he was designated for assignment earlier in the week to make room for closer Devin Williams, who was returning from the paternity list.
To create a spot on the 26-man roster, left-hander Brent Headrick was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Sunday’s win. Headrick had impressed during his short stint, pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in four appearances, including two shutout innings on Sunday. However, with the bullpen stretched thin after two short starts from Marcus Stroman and Will Warren, the Yankees needed a fresh arm, and Ottavino was an easy choice to fill that need.
Ottavino, who signed with the Yankees last Tuesday, made two appearances during his brief time with the team, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Despite his short stay, manager Aaron Boone was encouraged by what he saw.
“He’s kinda been on our board a little bit,” Boone said when Ottavino first joined. “I know the front office has been talking about him the last couple weeks as a potential. Felt like what he was doing at the back end of spring training was in line with who Otto is.”
Ottavino is familiar to Yankees fans, having pitched for the team from 2019-2020, including a standout 1.90 ERA season in 2019. He later played for the Red Sox and most recently the Mets, where he posted a 3.14 ERA over three seasons before becoming a free agent.
Although his velocity and effectiveness have slightly declined in recent years, Ottavino still offers veteran experience and a proven track record, qualities the Yankees bullpen can lean on as they deal with injuries and heavy workloads. With reliever Ian Hamilton expected to return from the injured list on Tuesday, New York may soon have more flexibility in managing innings early in the season. Whether Ottavino’s return is a short-term fix or a longer stay remains uncertain, but for now, the Yankees are counting on him to provide valuable bullpen depth as they begin a road series in Detroit.
