Last year, Adam Ottavino was trying to push the New York Yankees deep into the playoffs. Now, he’s trying to keep them from postseason contention as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
In an effort to stay under the luxury tax, Brian Cashman basically gave the Red Sox Ottavino for free this offseason. He’s since been a great late-inning arm for Boston and has shut down the Yankees in the first two contests of this weekend’s three-game set — most recently dancing out of jams Saturday in a 4-2 win.
Ottavino knows a lot of guys in the Yankee clubhouse, and, ever candid, he admitted it’s a little weird facing them.
“Yeah, it’s awkward. But at the same time it’s getting a little easier. Each time I’m doing a good job of not looking at any of them in the face, the guys I know, just trying to focus on the catcher. Tonight with Wong I just tried to stay locked in on him, and treat it like any other game. I know it’s not, but that’s how I’m trying to treat it.”
Whatever the case might be, he’s fared well against his former teammates this season. So, whatever he’s doing, it’s working.
