Mets didn’t even have to break the bank for latest crucial signing

The New York Mets would’ve had a hard time replacing Adam Ottavino, and they managed to sign him to a cost-friendly deal for the next two seasons.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, Adam Ottavino is officially rejoining the New York Mets for at least another season. After a disappointing playoff run and a tough second-place finish in the NL East standings, the team certainly had some issues that needed to be addressed to become contenders in the near future.

This off-season brought some hardships as they lost their ace Jacob deGrom to free agency, but they luckily made some great moves, particularly signing Justin Verlander, to offset such a loss and work toward a better team. The Ottavino extension will certainly help their case too.

By all means, the Mets aren’t a bad team. They held down the first-place spot in the division up until the last week of the season when the 2021 World Series champions, the Atlanta Braves, knocked them into second.

They made the playoffs and got knocked out in the Wild Card series, which isn’t entirely telling of their overall ability. However, they could improve their bullpen and if they hadn’t re-signed Ottavino, they’d have a big hole to fill that would be extremely difficult.

Adam Ottavino contract: Mets get steal in re-signing veteran reliever

Passan is reporting that Ottavino is re-signing in New York on a two-year, $14.5 million contract. The deal also contains an opt-out option after the 2023 season and performance bonuses for the veteran hurler.

Ottavino was one of the best relievers in New York alongside Edwin Diaz, who they also luckily locked down again this offseason.

Over the 2022 season, Ottavino produced an ERA of 2.06, batting average against of .204 and WHIP of 0.97. He hasn’t been consistent each season, which is why the two-year deal is perfect for him. The Mets left an option for him to opt out of his contract after the first year, which is smart and allows them to keep an eye on the market for other great relievers.

While Ottavino could be replaceable from his numbers during previous seasons, if he performs the way he did in 2022 this upcoming season, he’ll be a threat in the league.