Thursday, October 22, 2020

RUMOR: YANKEES ARE GETTING OFFERS FOR OTTAVINO


We aren't in the offseason yet, but the rumor mill has already started. There is a lot of chatter about the Yankees looking for ways to shed some payroll to drop below the $210 million luxury tax for 2021, which will be especially important to save money for DJ LeMahieu.

So the The New York Post broke THIS on Tuesday, and it caught my eye. If the Yankees want to shed some payroll, they might be able to move Adam Ottavino. Maybe. A big challenge will be that he is expensive and 2020 Ottavino wasn't as effective as 2019 and teams will take that into consideration.

"According to several talent evaluators, teams would be interested in the right-hander but with the understanding that the Yankees would have to absorb some of the $9 million owed to the soon-to-be 35-year-old Brooklyn native and Berkeley Carroll School product."

"As long as he stays healthy, I am sure he can go somewhere else and re-establish himself in a real season,’’ said an AL scout who was willing to discount the 60-game schedule of this past season due COVID-19 in which Ottavino posted a 5.89 ERA in 24 appearances.

So scouts say teams are interested, if the Yankees are willing to eat some of the contract. Maybe it could happen. Ottavino becomes a free agent after next season, and I can't say I hate the idea. I expected a little bit more out of the guy who said "I would strike Babe Ruth out every time" back in 2018 before we signed him to his three year deal. He looked good in 2019, but he took a big step back this season.

Ottavino was an important asset back in 2019 and he appeared in 73 games, pitched to a 1.90 ERA in 66 1/3 innings and struck out 88 batters. This season, he only appeared in 18 1/3 innings and gave up 20 hits, walked nine batters and struck out 25. In the postseason, Aaron Boone only used him for 2/3 of an inning. Even in a shortened season, that's a significant step backwards.


I guess I had higher expectations with Ottavino. He talked a big talk but he couldn't back it up this season so if the rumors are true and the Yankees NEED to make moves to save money and a trade makes sense, then I would be okay if that means losing Ottavino. 



  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
     BYB Managing Editor
    Twitter: @nyprincessj

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