Downtrodden former NY Mets player opts out of his contract after a terrible spring

There are going to be a lot of former New York Mets headed back into free agency when final Opening Day roster decisions are made. One we could have seen coming from a mile away was Adam Ottavino. The ex-Mets reliever inked a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox this year and has decided that, after clearly not being a candidate to make the team, to look for a new home again.

Ottavino spent three years with the Mets from 2022-2024 with each season getting progressively worse. From a dazzling 2.06 ERA performance in year one to a 3.21 albeit often shaky showing in 2023 and finally a 4.34 ERA and absence from participation in the postseason, the 39-year-old’s decision to leave the Red Sox organization could be a signal that his playing days are over altogether.

What’s next for Adam Ottavino?

Although he managed to pick up a pair of wins for Boston, his 5 innings of work included 5 hits, 5 walks, and 6 earned runs. He did strike out 8 but added another 2 wild pitches. If he had been signed to a major league deal, the alarm bells would have been set off. However, he wouldn’t have been on the roster bubble the way he was due to the minor league contract he signed.

Ottavino’s time with the Mets was a somewhat curious one. First signed to a one-year deal, he returned in 2023 for a two-year contract, the second season being a player option. He decided to opt out only to come back to the Mets in February of 2024. It wasn’t a roaring success. For much of last season, he was often used as Carlos Mendoza’s mop-up guy whenever the Mets trailed or had a big enough lead.

Appearing on SNY frequently last winter, one could guess Ottavino hangs up the cleats for good and goes into a full-time career as an analyst of some kind. Being a native of New York, whether tied directly to the Mets or a national program, is a logical next step in his professional career. Teams won’t be lining up to sign him. His spring performance wasn’t nearly good enough to warrant anything more than yet another minor league deal.

For any Mets fan wondering if there should be thought of a return, think again. They didn’t have much use for him last year despite Ottavino being one of only two relievers from the Opening Day roster to last the full season—the other being Edwin Diaz. He’ll certainly be welcomed back at Citi Field for any reunion of the 2022 or 2024 Mets. As far as playing goes, a shot with a club without playoff aspirations could be the best he hopes for.