Texas Rangers Veteran Relievers Know Why They're Here

David Robertson and Kirby Yates were signed in the offseason to help shore up the Texas Rangers' key weakness from a year ago.

David Robertson and Kirby Yates know why the Texas Rangers signed them this offseason. It didn’t need much explanation.

But Robertson admitted that he didn’t pay too much attention to the Rangers’ epically bad save conversation rate in the regular season. He was too busy trying to help the Miami Marlins reach the playoffs.

But after signing a one-year deal with the Rangers this offseason, he did his research.

“I looked back and saw a few things that happened here,” Robertson said. “I mean, I'm hoping that maybe I can shore up some of those holes that they had last year.”

Last season, the Rangers became the first team in history to make the playoffs with a save rate of less than 50% (30-of-63). The Rangers still won their first World Series, in part because the bullpen got hot at the right time.

Save percentage can be a misleading number, Robertson said, depending upon when the save is blown. But he said there is a sweet spot when it comes to save conversion that would definitely help the Rangers this season.

Max Scherzer on having former #Mets teammate David Robertson join the #TexasRangers bullpen and what it will take to repeat. pic.twitter.com/hvf7TThZH8

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) February 18, 2024

“The way I look at it is if you're knocking down 85% of them as a bullpen, you're doing a good job,” Robertson said.

Robertson and Yates could both emerge as potential closer options, as the Rangers don’t have much returning from last year’s ninth-inning pitchers.

José Leclerc is the only returning reliever who had a save last season. He had four. The other two Rangers with saves — Will Smith (22) and Aroldis Chapman (4) are in Kansas City and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Leclerc has never been a full-time closer. Neither has Josh Sborz, who was on the mound for Game 5 of the World Series but didn’t record a save last regular season.

Yates isn’t campaigning for a closer role. But he is hoping, like Robertson, to earn a high-leverage role. 

“I think anybody in a bullpen would love to pitch at the end of the game,” Yates said. “I think that's everybody's goal. That probably should be everybody's goal in the bullpen. But like I said, you gotta go out there and prove that you're capable of doing it.”

Yates has 361 career appearances but has only been a full-time closer one season. In 2019 with San Diego, he led the Majors with 41 saves, was selected a National League All-Star, and finished ninth in Cy Young voting.

Since then, he has had seven saves and missed all of 2021 after Tommy John surgery, which was the second such surgery of his career. Last season with Atlanta, he went 7-2 with a 3.28 ERA and five saves in 61 appearances.

Robertson has 175 career saves and had three consecutive seasons with 30 or more saves from 2014-16 with the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. He was an All-Star in 2011 with the Yankees, finishing 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 70 relief appearances.

Marcus Semien is in the house.#TexasRangers pic.twitter.com/U3ijUv5Krn

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) February 18, 2024

He started last season as the Mets’ primary closer after an injury to Edwin Diaz. He saved 14 games for the Mets, went 4-2, and had a 2.05 ERA before he was dealt to Miami at the deadline. With the Marlins, his ERA swelled to 5.06 with a 2-4 record and four saves in 22 appearances.

There appears to be no pride in authorship for either veteran as they hunt for a World Series title late in their careers.

“D-Rob (Robertson) has been great his entire career, he's gonna be a huge help,” Yates said. “I hope to do my part.”

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