Shipped to Boston The Yankees traded Ottavino along with pitching prospect Frank German to the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic rep... Impact Ottavino was excellent in his first season in New York in 2019, with his 31.1 percent strikeout rate canceling out a 10.6 percent walk rate and leading to a 1.90 ERA. That ERA spiked all the way to 5.89 in a small sample of 18.1 innings last season, though his underlying numbers told a more optimistic story, as his strikeout rate fell only slightly to 29.4 percent while his walk rate came in at a more palatable 10.6 percent. Still, the Yankees evidently don't believe he'll be worth the $8 million he's scheduled to make this season, so they sent him to their top rival in what appears to be little more than a salary dump. The move potentially boosts Ottavino's fantasy value, as Matt Barnes is hardly an immovable object at closer in Boston should the 35-year-old return to his previous form.
JANUARY 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE