'It was a smart play by him'
Chaim Bloom’s move to acquire pitcher Adam Ottavino has the approval of New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
The Red Sox traded with their rival Jan. 25 in a move that worked out for both sides. Boston got a pitcher for its bullpen, something it needed, while the Yankees were able to shed a bit of salary from their payroll.
Cashman spoke to reporters Friday and lauded the move.
“I thought Chaim Bloom … it was a smart play by him,” Cashman said, via MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “He gets to import a player that’s going to have a bounce-back year, I’m sure, because it’s hard to judge a player on a shortened season. (Ottavino) is better than what his numbers showed last year. Otto was well-liked in our clubhouse, provided full effort, competed to the best of his abilities and had a lot of success Year 1. In a shortened season, not the season he or we all wanted, but he was a good teammate, a good person and did everything he possibly could to help us succeed. Last thing I wanted to do was put him in the hands of our competitors but ultimately I’m not afraid to do business with everybody if it serves what our purposes have to be.”
Ottavino’s 2020 season was a bit of a struggle for the right-hander, who posted a 5.48 ERA. But now he looks to bounce back with a new team when the 2021 season begins.