New York Yankees claim David Robertson on waivers
By Tim Haberin
According to CBS Sports insider Jon Heyman, the New York Yankees have claimed relief pitcher David Robertson on revocable waivers from the Chicago White Sox. It’s a somewhat surprising development, as the Yanks let Robertson leave as a free agent just last December to sign a four-year, $46 million contract with the White Sox.
The Bronx Bombers have certainly been open to reuniting with old friends in the past, and by all indications they were attempting to add to their bullpen before the July non-waiver trade deadline. They were most frequently linked to Padres closer Craig Kimbrel. This bit of news indicates that they may still have an eye for high-end relief arms, even though their bullpen already boasts Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller.
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Robertson developed into a highly effective reliever during his time in New York, posting a 2.81 ERA over his seven seasons there and collecting 39 saves last year after replacing the legendary Mariano Rivera as closer. His success has followed him to the South Side of Chicago. The 30-year-old right-hander is 27-for-33 in save chances for the White Sox in 2015, sporting a 2.60 ERA in 52 innings pitched. He also continues to strike out hitters at a very high clip, mowing down 71 thus far for a 12.3 K/9 rate.
However, Heyman points out that a trade between the Yankees and White Sox is seen as a real long shot at this point. The clubs have until only 2:00 PM EDT to work out a deal, and Chicago does not seem particularly motivated to part with Robertson. Most likely they will simply pull him back off waivers. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal also reports that the Bombers’ claim could have partly been a blocking maneuver against the Blue Jays.
By most accounts, the Yankees have been trying to improve their pitching staff any way they can over the past couple months. Though their bullpen has been a definite strength this season, some have speculated that they may view acquiring another lockdown reliever as a legitimate alternative to bringing in a starter since it would take further pressure off the rotation. With the innings piling up for Betances as well, it might not be a bad plan all-around.
The clock is ticking on the Yanks’ attempts to complete a deal for Robertson or any other pitcher, so stay tuned to see if anything materializes before today’s waiver deadline.
Update: Heyman reports that the White Sox have indeed pulled Robertson back off waivers after the two sides were unable to strike a deal before the deadline.