ESPN’s Major League Baseball insider Jeff Passan reported that right-handed pitcher David Robertson and the Texas Rangers have agreed to a one-year deal worth around $11-$12 million. Robertson will play for the defending World Series champions in his 16th MLB season.
Robertson played for the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins last season. He signed a one-year contract with the Mets and earned his 1,000th career strikeout. However, the Mets traded him last July for Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez.
The Defending Champions Texas Rangers and David Robertson are in agreement on a 1-year contract in the $11-12M range (via. Jeff Passan)#MLB pic.twitter.com/IARh5Bjp73
— Sportskeeda Baseball (@sportskeeda_mlb) January 26, 2024
He had a 6-6 record and a 3.03 earned run average in 65.1 innings pitched. The former University of Alabama standout struck out 78 batters and made 18 saves.
Robertson made his MLB debut in 2008, two years after the New York Yankees selected him in the 17th round of the MLB Amateur Draft. He spent his first seven seasons with the Yankees before signing a four-year, $46 million contract with the Chicago White Sox before the 2015 season.
He returned to the Yankees after three seasons in Chicago’s Southside. After his second stint with the Yankees, he signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Robertson also had stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs.
His best season came in 2011 when he was named an MLB All-Star and received votes for the American League Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player trophy. He had a 4-0 record with a 1.08 ERA in 66.2 innings. He struck out 100 batters and surrendered only nine runs.
David Robertson will join a relief pitching rotation with Josh Sborz, Brock Burke, and Jose Leclerc. However, they lost Aroldis Chapman to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chris Stratton to the Kansas City Royals.
-Lance Fernandez