3 offseason decisions that make Billy Eppler look like a genius

Adam Ottavino brought about much-needed depth in a depleted back end of the Mets' bullpen.

Adam Ottavino faced some legit doubters going to his Mets career last year. He came of a 2021 season that was marred with control issues, and signed a prove-it deal with the Mets last year. Many of those doubters were proven wrong.

He was sensational as the primary setup man for Edwin Diaz last year.He had a 2.06 ERA in 65.2 innings and struck out over 30 percent of the batters he faced. With Diaz as the primary reason the Mets went a full season going unbeaten when leading after eight innings, the Mets went 88-3 when leading after seven and a primary factor for that was Ottavino.

So the Mets needed to find a way to get him back, and they did, for $7.25 million this season with a player option for next year for the same price, and that contract will appear to be a bargain as well.

And so far, he's holding up. The only blemish against his ERA is a walk-off home run he conceded to Garrett Mitchell earlier this season in Milwaukee. Otherwise he's thrown six scoreless innings, and has found ways to get out of trouble, similar to what he did so often last year.

If the Mets are going to be anywhere near as successful as they were last year, it'll take a duplicate season (or something close to it) from the 37-year old veteran to get them through the eighth inning of close games.