Adam Ottavino signed a Major League contract with the New York Yankees during Devin Williams’ paternity leave, which pays him $1 million if he’s in the MLB and $150,000 in the minors. The deal seemingly also gives the Yankees the flexibility to continually shuttle him between the majors and minors indefinitely.
The $1 million salary makes Ottavino less appealing as a waiver claim, allowing the Yankees to move him in and out of their roster as needed, knowing other teams are unlikely to pick him up once he’s designated for assignment (DFA). While this might backfire eventually, for now, Ottavino serves as the 27th man, filling in whenever the Yankees need an extra player.
Initially, he stepped in for Williams, pitching twice against the Arizona Diamondbacks before being sent back down. After declaring free agency on Sunday, Ottavino was recalled for Monday’s game in chilly Detroit, where he pitched one-third of an inning, walking two batters but managing to get a strikeout.
At 39, Ottavino will be placed on waivers once again, as Ian Hamilton has sufficiently recovered in Florida and is set to join the Yankees, likely just in time for the coldest series of the year.
Before today’s game, the Yankees made these roster changes:
- Reinstated RHP Ian Hamilton (#71) from the 15-day injured list after his rehab assignment.
- Designated RHP Adam Ottavino for assignment.
Hamilton, who took a bit longer to ramp up this spring after battling a virus, had a slightly less impressive 2024 season compared to his breakout the previous year. Still, his 3.03 FIP was close to his 2.82 from the year before. At his best, his devastating Slambio is one of the most underrated pitches in baseball, complementing Williams’ changeup nicely. Had the Yankees had a fully healthy Hamilton last October, the outcome could have been different.
Now, Hamilton will help strengthen the bullpen as the team waits for Jonathan Loaisiga to return, likely next month. Meanwhile, Ottavino will remain a valuable option on the sidelines unless another team in the Northeast region (Ottavino’s preferred area) decides they want to take on his prorated $1 million salary.
