3 bullpen arms the SF Giants should target based on SO/W ratio

3 bullpen arms the SF Giants should target based on SO/W ratio

3. Adam Ottavino - 4.94 SO/W ratio

Adam Ottavino has quietly been one of the better relievers over the past decade. Plus, he is good enough to strike out Babe Ruth every time.

Giants fans know the veteran reliever well as he spent seven of his 12 seasons with the Colorado Rockies. If you can pitch at Coors Field, then you can pitch anywhere. Ottavino has proven that in recent seasons, appearing with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and the New York Mets.

Prior to the 2022, Ottavino was coming off of a pair of subpar seasons as he produced a 4.94 ERA in a combined 93 appesarances. So, last year was a chance for the 37-year-old to prove that he can still pitch and he did just that.

The right-handed reliever posted a 2.06 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 0.97 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, and a 4.94 SO/W ratio in 66 appearances for the Mets bullpen. His slider continues to be a plus pitch as opposing hitters registered a rough .165 batting average against it in 2022.

Similar to Chris Martin and Collin McHugh, age is not necessarily in Ottavino's favor. That could be good news for a Giants front office that has looked mostly for bargains when it comes to relievers. MLB Trade Rumors is predicting that Ottavino will receive a two-year, $14 million deal this winter.

That would be more than the Giants have handed out to a reliever in recent seasons, but still a relative bargain given how he performed in 2022. Ottavino fills up the strike zone and has a very good slider. Both of these qualities generally appeal to the Giants' front office, so it would not be surprising to see San Francisco connected to the righty reliever this offseason.