Veteran Reliever Reveals Major Detail About Red Sox Reunion

Adam Ottavino is back with the Red Sox, but his arrival to Boston this time around greatly differed from the last time he joined the club.

Ottavino was sought out by the Red Sox ahead of the 2021 MLB season, so much so that he was acquired through a rare transaction. Boston swung a trade with the rival New York Yankees to land the right-hander ahead of a campaign that ultimately ran deep into the American League Championship Series.

Four years later, Ottavino latched on with the Red Sox via a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training. While it’s not the most ideal situation for an accomplished pitcher, Ottavino still found great value in his latest pact with Boston. In fact, the 39-year-old turned down a big league offer elsewhere to rejoin Alex Cora’s staff.

“I had talked to Boston for quite a while this offseason, so it was a long process,” Ottavino told reporters Tuesday, per MLB.com. “And once I was open to the NRI situation, I got a lot of offers really fast after that, so I was parsing through that, trying to figure out what move to make.

“I had one MLB offer, but I didn’t want to take it in that location. So I just kept doing my research and talking to the teams, and then made this decision last night.”

While Ottavino currently doesn’t have a Red Sox roster spot locked down, he now has an opportunity to earn a role for himself in spring training. And when you consider the Northeastern product’s penchant for inducing bad contact, his chances of cracking the Opening Day roster shouldn’t be overlooked.

It might not be too long until Boston sees what Ottavino can provide in a game setting, as the Red Sox kick off their spring training schedule Saturday.