New Texas Rangers baseball team manager Bruce Bochy, left, and Rangers primary owner Ray Davis, respond to questions during a news conference in Arlington, Texas, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Texas Rangers decide to deal with right-handed reliever David Robertson and bolster their bullpen.
According to two sources involved with the negotiations who spoke to The Dallas Morning News, the Rangers and veteran right-handed bullpen pitcher David Robertson reached an agreement on Thursday to a one-year contract, subject to a physical. The 38-year-old reliever threw 65 1/3 innings last season, splitting time between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, giving up 3.03 ERA.
According to Baseball Reference, Robertson finished 2023 with a WAR of 1.7, which was higher than any relief pitcher from Texas during that season. He also had a greater save percentage (82.4%) than Jose Leclerc (44%), Aroldis Chapman (54.5%), and Will Smith (81%).
Robertson, a 15-year veteran, played for eight different teams between 2015 and 23 after beginning his career with the New York Yankees for seven seasons. In 804 2/3 innings pitched, he has a career 2.90 ERA, 1,055 strikeouts, and 175 saves. He won a World Series with New York in 2009 and was named an All-Star in 2011.
Robertson has thrown more postseason innings than only two active relievers (Boston’s Kenley Jansen and Chapman, who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this month). In 47 1/3 playoff innings, Robertson has a lifetime 3.04 ERA.
Following Tommy John surgery, he missed the majority of 2019 and 2020, pitched just 12 innings in 2021, and had a bit of a late-career comeback in 2022–2023 when he pitched 129 innings for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Miami Marlins, registering a 2.72 ERA. He has been healthy since his elbow surgery and has thrown more than 60 innings in each of the last two seasons, with the exception of a calf issue that prevented him from being included on the Phillies’ NLDS roster in 2022.
Robertson, an Alabama native, joins the Rangers to bolster a bullpen that finished last season among the worst in baseball. Texas’ relief corps squandered 33 of 63 save opportunities (47.6%), the lowest percentage of any club that had ever made it to the postseason, and recorded a 4.77 ERA, the seventh-worst in MLB and the worst of any playoff team.
Robertson gives manager Bruce Bochy another late-inning option to go with right-handers Josh Sborz and Jose Leclerc, who both struggled during the regular season but flourished in the postseason, and right-hander Kirby Yates, a former All-Star closer the Rangers signed in December. Robertson saved 20 games in 2022 and 18 in 2023.
Robertson will require space on Texas’ 40-man roster. Together with Yates, starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, and catcher Andrew Knizner, he is the fourth free agent the team has signed to a major league contract this winter.
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