The New York Yankees recently lost relief pitcher David Robertson to the Philadelphia Phillies, forcing them to retain Zach Britton and look for a replacement in free agency.
Thus far, general manager Brian Cashman has sat idly by while the market dwindles – only Adam Ottavino and Craig Kimbrel remain as top-options. Ottavino is undoubtedly the cheaper option and could be a great option for the Yankees if they wish to bolster the rotation.
The New York Yankees would be smart to keep as many players as possible:
In 2018, the Yankees’ relief rotation was one of the best in baseball, ranking fourth in the league in ERA and third in batting average against.
The unit consisted of Dellin Batances, Robertson, Aroldis Chapman, and Britton. They were stellar until the ALDS where Boston out-schemed the entire team.
What would Adam Ottavino bring to the Yankees?
The Bombers would be adding a breaking-ball specialist to their rotation – he allowed a BA of .158 against his sinker and .149 against his slider (2018 stats), according to FanGraphs. Despite Ottavino being rather inconsistent throughout his career, he earned an ERA of 2.43 last season. Can the Yankees count on him to be consistent in Pinstripes? Personally, I believe they can.
If Cashman elects to sign Ottavino, he would effectively be thinning the reliever market and forcing other teams to spend more money on lesser talents. Robertson still needs to be replaced and the former Rockie might even be an upgrade at the position.