Adam Ottavino’s disappointing tenure with the Yankees is over — and he’s heading to the Red Sox in a salary dump.
The right-hander was dealt to Boston on Monday, along with right-handed minor leaguer Frank German, in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.
The Red Sox are picking up most of the $9 million owed to Ottavino, who is entering the final year of his three-year, $27 million deal, with the Yankees adding $850,000 to the deal.
The Yankees had been looking to move Ottavino, 35, to free up payroll as they attempt to stay under the $210 million luxury-tax threshold this season.
Owner Hal Steinbrenner has claimed the largest financial losses in the game in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, although general manager Brian Cashman said last month the Yankees would still have the sport’s highest payroll.
With an eye still on financial flexibility, a reunion with Brett Gardner — and his left-handed bat — is now more of a possibility, but far from certain.
The loss of Ottavino leaves the Yankees with Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and Chad Green at the back end of the bullpen. It also opens another spot on the 40-man roster after adding Jameson Taillon, Corey Kluber and DJ LeMahieu in the last week.
Ottavino was largely effective in his first year with the Yankees, when he finished with a 1.90 ERA. But he struggled in September of that season and was dreadful against the Astros in the ALCS.
And Ottavino had a rough 2020 season, when he finished with a 5.89 ERA in 24 appearances- although much of that is due to one dreadful outing against the Blue Jays in Buffalo.
The Brooklyn native was a nonfactor in the playoffs, pitching just once and allowing a run in two-thirds of an inning in the Yankees’ Game 2 loss to the Rays in the ALDS.
He never approached the results he produced during his final season with Colorado, when Ottavino had a WHIP of 0.991, held right-handed batters to a .467 OPS and lefties to a .560 OPS.
Still, Ottavino had hoped to remain with the Yankees, looking for a bounce-back season in 2021.
“I want to stay on the team,’’ Ottavino told The Post’s Ken Davidoff in December. “I want to prove my worth. I want to pitch well. I want to finish what we tried to start these last few years and win that title and all that. It’s not up to me, so I don’t pay attention to [trade talk], really.”
German, 23, last pitched for Single-A Tampa in 2019. The Queens product didn’t pitch last season because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monday’s deal was the first trade between the two AL East rivals since 2014 — when the Yankees acquired Stephen Drew in exchange for Kelly Johnson — and just the second since 1998.