Adam Ottavino criticizes Carlos Mendoza’s handling of the Mets bullpen

Adam Ottavino Critiques Mets’ Handling of Pitchers

Adam Ottavino has voiced strong concerns about how the Mets managed their pitchers last season. He specifically scrutinized the decisions made by manager Carlos Mendoza regarding relief pitchers and questioned the team’s approach to safeguarding their players’ health.

During his “Baseball and Coffee” podcast on Wednesday, he emphasized the injuries that plagued the Mets last season, urging them to “do better.” He didn’t hold back, stating, “This is embarrassing. It’s truly pathetic. If I were part of the team last year, many of these injuries wouldn’t have occurred. I would have had to step in and protect them.”

He noted that there seemed to be a lack of communication within the team, saying, “Sadly, no one felt comfortable speaking up to Carlos this year. I think I was the only one, and that points to a larger issue.”

Ottavino, who played three seasons with the Mets from 2022 to 2024, including one under Mendoza, acknowledged Mendoza’s capability but implied that changes are necessary. He remarked, “If they keep going down this path, they’ll be upset—it’s unacceptable to have this many injuries each year.” He added, “Hopefully, this isn’t a strategy because it’s quite disappointing and not favorable for players. Over time, people will realize.”

“It’s amusing because just the previous year, they were boasting about maintaining player health, even though it might not have been their doing. It frustrates me; these are players who deserve to be on the field,” he continued.

Ottavino pointed to a lack of “player education” on health maintenance and noted the pressure many players face to continue playing even when they feel compromised.

He expressed concern over what he perceives as a disconnect in managing bullpen pitchers, stating, “There seems to be no awareness of how to keep them healthy or the need for better communication when players are injured.”

In terms of context, the Mets utilized an MLB-record 46 different pitchers during the 2025 season, largely due to injuries affecting key players like Tyler Megill, De’Doniel Nunez, and Frankie Montas, among others.