Pirates Predicted to Sign Veteran Reliever
For as good as the Pittsburgh Pirates starting rotation can be next year with a full season of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones leading the way, it won't matter much if they don't improve the bullpen this offseason.
Whether it's by moving some of their top pitching prospects to the bullpen or signing relievers in free agency, Pittsburgh can't afford to stand pat after its bullpen finished 27th in ERA and was tied for the second-most blown leads in the ninth inning. MLB Trade Rumors' writer Tim Dierkes had the Pirates take a step toward addressing the need by predicting that they'll sign veteran right-handed reliever David Robertson.
"Robertson will turn 40 in April, but you’d never know it by watching him pitch," MLBTR writes. "It’s hard to believe he was practically out of baseball from 2019-21, because he’s come roaring all the way back as a premium high-leverage arm. In 72 innings with the Rangers this past season, Robertson turned in a flat 3.00 ERA while punching out 33.4% of his opponents against a 9.1% walk rate. His signature cutter sat 93.3 mph, incredibly tied (with 2023!) for the highest mark of his 16-year big league career."
Robertson ranked No. 47 in MLB Trade Rumors' top 50 free agents.
Robertson, 39, would bring a wealth of experience to the Pirates bullpen. He came up with the New York Yankees and spent two separate stints with them, pitching for the Bronx Bombers from 2008 to 2014 and 2017 to 2018. Across his nine seasons with the Yankees, he went 38-22 with a 2.75 ERA.
The veteran right-handed reliever has also pitched for the Chicago White Sox (2015-2016), Philadelphia Phillies (2019 and 2022), Tampa Bay Rays (2021), Chicago Cubs (2022), New York Mets (2023), Miami Marlins (2023) and most recently the Texas Rangers (2024). Robertson went 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA and had two saves over a career-high 72 innings pitched.
Roberts' experience as a set-up man and ability to occasionally close games would be a boon for the Pirates, especially if left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman opts to leave in free agency. As long as Pittsburgh believes Robertson can continue to pitch at a high level at 40, it'd be wise to pursue a steady and reliable presence for a bullpen in desperate need of relievers like him.
