Adams Shines in Oakland Bullpen After Mets Departure
On February 6, the New York Mets made the decision to designate right-handed reliever Austin Adams for assignment, a move that effectively dropped him from the 40-man roster. The news may have stung initially, but for Adams, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career.
As spring training progressed, Adams found a new home with the Oakland Athletics through a cash deal. The 33-year-old reliever has since solidified his place in the A's bullpen, demonstrating his worth by posting a respectable 3.92 ERA and recording 53 strikeouts over 41 1/3 innings. His performance has helped bolster an Athletics team that has become increasingly reliant on a strong bullpen showing.
Tuesday night at Citi Field, Adams faced his former team, the Mets, in a game that ended with a 9-4 victory for the Athletics. The win extended Oakland's winning streak to three games, while adding to the Mets' woes, pushing their losing streak to four games. The Mets were also placed two games behind the third wild-card spot.
Adams's Moment of Truth
In the fifth inning, the Mets managed to load runners on first and second with no outs, setting the stage for a high-pressure situation. Adams showed remarkable poise, striking out Francisco Alvarez to escape the inning unscathed. Reflecting on the moment, Adams told the New York Post, "Honestly, I looked up and was so surprised I got out of it. I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' And then it dawned on me, I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' So then I did it. I mean, that song is sick. Iglesias is a good dude. So hopefully no one is offended. Just having fun."
His reference to the song "OMG" by Mets infielder Jose Iglesias added an extra layer to the moment. Released in June, the song quickly became a post-win celebration anthem for the Mets, performed by Iglesias himself at Citi Field after a victory on June 28.
After striking out Alvarez, Adams imitated the Mets' "OMG" celebration, a gesture usually reserved for home runs. This act did not go unnoticed by the Mets bench. Edwin Díaz commented on the incident, stating, "He crossed a line because that's something we do when we hit a homer or something. He (can) do it always, that's fine. But he can't get mad if we do something to him the next couple of days."
Adams's Emotional Pitching
Adams is no stranger to high-intensity moments and admits that his emotions sometimes play a significant role in his performance. "I pitch on emotion. I maybe need to do a better job of not doing that," he confessed to the New York Post. "But at the end of the day, big time situation in a game. Got some big outs, got the team a win. You know, when you get DFAed you're told you're not good enough to play for a team anymore. You know it sucks, so yeah had a little extra juice today."
His path from being designated for assignment to becoming a key bullpen asset for the Athletics is a story of resilience and determination. Adams's journey is a testament to his ability to bounce back from setbacks and perform under pressure.
For the Mets, however, the loss was another blow in what has been a challenging stretch. Falling to the Athletics at home not only exacerbated their losing streak but also put them further behind in the race for the third wild-card spot. The drama surrounding Adams's celebration added another layer to the unfolding narrative, one that will be watched closely in the coming days.
Adams’s career revival continues to be a bright spot for Oakland, and his ability to deliver in critical moments makes him a valuable asset. As the season progresses, Adams will undoubtedly face more high-pressure situations, and if his recent performances are any indication, he will meet them head-on.