With the holidays here, will the Red Sox unwrap a new reliever this Christmas? If the reports are true, then David Robertson could be a new toy in the bullpen.
It was reported earlier today by Geroge A. King III of the New York Post is looking for a three-year agreement, though teams have been trying to talk him down to two. With a major gap in the Red Sox bullpen at the closing position, locking Robertson up for a pair of years could be a blessing.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com would add that though the Red Sox may not be the most confident in signing Robertson, there is a mutual interest from both sides. Gaining the services of Robertson would solve some major problems for the Red Sox bullpen. With Joe Kelly taking his talents to Hollywood and Craig Kimbrel still a question mark, this would tie up some loose ends.
According to sources, the Red Sox are still in the mix for free-agent reliever David Robertson. There’s mutual interest, though several teams remain in contention for the RHP.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 23, 2018
A big selling point that Dave Dombrowski could use to sway Robertson to Boston is the proximity to his home. David Robertson currently resides in Rhode Island, so being able to be close to home could be huge for the veteran reliever. It could also be an easy way for Boston to welcome the former Yankee to the Fenway Faithful.
Robertson has been a long-time focal point of the Yankee bullpen and is looking to cash in on his free agency. As we all know, the Red Sox aren’t afraid to spend when necessary, and this is definitely necessary.
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Even though this past season was Robertson’s 11th in the majors, he saw 69.2 innings with 91 K’s and 26 walks. His also finished 2018 with a 3.23 ERA. Not a bad stat line at all. Compared to Kelly, who finished 2018 with a 4.39 ERA, 68 K, and 32 walks in 65.2 innings, it would be an improvement.
Now, the real question is could he fill the shoes of Kimbrel, that I’m not so sure of. Kimbrel had a solid year, putting up 62.1 innings, 2.74 ERA, 96 K, and 31 walks. So Kimbrel was superior in ERA, with a slight edge in strikeouts and Robertson taking the win in walks. So if the Red Sox can sign David Robertson for fewer years and money than it would cost to re-sign Kimbrel, I’m all for it.
Some may say that the 11 years under Robertson’s belt may be a red flag, but Kimbrel will be going into his tenth season in 2019, so he isn’t exactly a spring chicken either. If we can’t get Kimbrel to come back with a more reasonable request, I truly feel Robertson could be the answer to the closer problem.
This free agency period has been a quiet one throughout the league. With the big names still on the board, fans around the world are anxiously waiting. If Boston wants to keep their momentum from 2018, they need to be aggressive and go after the players they want. No more waiting, be proactive and build the squad.