Mets, Yankees interested in reuniting with former All-Star reliever

It was only last season when veteran reliever David Robertson threw to a 3.00 ERA with the Texas Rangers. But now, at age 40, teams have been hesitant to bring him aboard. Any general manager would be justified in balking at the opportunity to pick up a 40-year-old relief arm, yet this premise may be a little misguided. 

The veteran righty last threw to a sub-2.00 ERA in 2017, something he accomplished twice, but his 2.91 career ERA still stands as a testament to his reliability over the past few decades. Today, he still waits in free agency. However, it might not be long until he finds himself in a new uniform — or possibly an old one.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, several teams are expected to have at least some level of interest in Robertson. He wrote this on Tuesday: 

“Several teams, including the New York Mets and New York Yankees, have at least recently looked into Robertson, league sources said. Multiple teams expect to attend one of his throwing sessions within the next week.”

The two teams Sammon mentioned, the Yankees and Mets, have at one point or another each counted Robertson as a member of their bullpens. Robertson was drafted by the Yankees in 2006 and made his debut with them in 2008. He is the last remaining member of the Yankees’ 2009 World Series team still active in Major League Baseball today. His first Yankee tenure ended in 2014 before he was brought back at the 2017 trade deadline, leaving again after the 2018 season. He spent just part of a season with the Mets in 2023 prior to being traded to the Marlins.

Last year, Robertson threw a career-high 72 innings to the tune of a 3.00 ERA with 99 strikeouts, one shy of tying his career high. Even at age 39, Robertson proved he could still hold his own from the bullpen. Now, it seems it will just be a matter of time before he gets his first chance at age 40.