Adam Ottavino’s first outing on the mound for the Red Sox went pretty smooth.
The relief pitcher gave up a hit and struck out two in Boston’s 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday afternoon. Ottavino struggled during the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season, but his outing certainly was encouraging.
“I was happy with how it went,” Ottavino told reporters after the game. “I felt pretty good out there. It was exciting to have people in the crowd again. Throwing to (Christian) Vazquez for the first time in a game, that type of stuff was good to get out of the way. Physically, I felt good. That was the bonus.”
The right-hander was dominant in 2018 and 2019 with the Colorado Rockies and New York Yankees, respectively, and should give Red Sox fans reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season.
As for his role with the team? Well, manager Alex Cora hasn’t named a closer yet, but Ottavino would embrace the role should Cora give him the ball for the ninth.
“It would be great,” Ottavino said. “The last time I had the job was right before I got hurt in 2015 and a little bit in 2016 when I came back. It was exciting and I really enjoyed it. It’s not something I feel like is a must for me, but it’s something I’d definitely embrace. If Alex gives me the ball in the ninth, I’d definitely pumped up about that.”
Opening Day is set for April 1.
