NEW YORK -- Back in August, reliever Adam Ottavino said he would only decline his 2024 player option on his Mets contract if he felt he could negotiate a more lucrative deal on the open market. A New York City native who highly values geography and a winning culture at the back end of his career, Ottavino made it clear he is only willing to pitch for a handful of clubs around the Majors.

That¡¯s the narrow path he will now attempt to navigate, as Ottavino said Monday that he declined the $6.75 million option year on his contract. He is now a free agent, which won¡¯t preclude the Mets from re-signing him. But the team will likely need to offer more money or an additional year if it wants Ottavino to return as one of the bullpen¡¯s core pieces alongside Edwin D¨ªaz and Brooks Raley, whose $6.5 million team option the club recently exercised.

Ottavino, 37, is a 13-year veteran who produced a 3.21 ERA over 66 appearances this past season while racking up a career-high 12 saves -- half of them after the Mets traded closer David Robertson to the Marlins. It was a statistical step back for Ottavino, who held a 2.06 ERA over 66 games in 2022, with fewer walks and more strikeouts. But Ottavino did find his groove in the second half, posting a 2.17 ERA from July through the end of the season.

With or without Ottavino, the Mets must rebuild their bullpen this offseason. Robertson is gone. D¨ªaz will be back after missing the entire 2023 season recovering from right knee surgery, as will Raley. Beyond those two, the Mets don¡¯t have any sure things on their 40-man roster. Later this month, the team will make non-tender decisions on a host of arbitration-eligible relievers, including Drew Smith, Trevor Gott and Sam Coonrod.

Time will tell if Ottavino will return to that mix. Born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn, Ottavino has spent the last five seasons pitching close to home in the Bronx, Boston and Queens. Those clubs figure to be on a short list of potential contenders for his services in 2024.