If Ottavino’s debut was any indication he is going to be a huge force out of the Yankees bullpen this season. He was as good as advertised in Thursday’s opener showcasing his nasty stuff to completely overpower the Oriole hitters.
Ottavino was the first man called upon by Aaron Boone to relieve Masahiro Tanaka and clearly is going to be used in high leverage roles throughout the season. With Dellin Betances on the injured list to begin the season, Ottavino will play an even more important role early on as one of the main setup men in front of Aroldis Chapman.