Royals Predicted To Sign All-Star, Ex-Yankees World Series Champ To $11.5M Deal
The Kansas City Royals have resumed their offseason signings, which is exciting news to many. Are more in the pipeline?
Over the past two days, the Royals have added utility man Cavan Biggio and veteran starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen. Neither is a former All-Star nor a World Series champion, but it's good to introduce some extra big-league talent to the roster.
What if, though, the Royals could add someone with both of the aforementioned accolades to the back end of the bullpen?
Enter David Robertson, the 16-year veteran relief pitcher with an All-Star appearance and a 2.91 career ERA to his name. Though Robertson turns 40 in April, he's coming off a dominant season with the Texas Rangers where he struck out 99 batters in 72 innings.
On Monday, Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball predicted that the Royals would be the team to land Robertson, with a one-year, $11.5 million projected contract.
"Despite a rough stretch in Miami, where he pitched to 5.06 ERA in 21 1/3 innings pitched, Robertson has pitched to a 2.82 ERA across 201 innings pitched over the past three seasons," Finkelstein wrote.
"Any team could use a dependable arm like Robertson setting up their closer at the back of the bullpen. Especially since he can always fill in as the closer in a pinch, whenever need be."
Robertson may still be at the top of his game, but he can't keep doing this forever. Only 24 when he won his World Series ring with the New York Yankees, he's now entering his age-40 season, knowing that every year could be his last shot at chasing another.
If Robertson believes the Royals are the team that can help him get that ring, there's no reason to think he wouldn't go there. But the relief pitching market is unpredictable, so we'll have to wait and see where the dominoes fall.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org