Yankees Prepared New Mets RP David Robertson For Success

Robertson began his career with the Yankees and enjoyed two stints in pinstripes. Now he’s back in New York as a member of the Mets.

After two stints in the Bronx, David Robertson is ready to pitch in a different borough.

The veteran reliever recently signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Mets. Robertson figures to be Edwin Díaz’s set-up man in Queens after a resurgent 2022 season with the Cubs and Phillies.

The Mets are Robertson’s sixth team – he’s also thrown for the White Sox and Rays – but his totals with the Yankees easily surpass that of any other club he’s worked for. The pinstripers drafted Robertson in 2006, and he debuted with them in 2008. The righty won the World Series with the Yankees in 2009 and succeeded Mariano Rivera as the team’s closer in 2014 before signing with the White Sox in free agency.

Robertson returned to the Yankees via trade in 2017, but it was the 37-year-old’s initial stretch with the team that prepared him for a lengthy, successful career.

"When I came up with New York – that was a long time ago – I feel like I got thrown right into the fire,” Robertson said Wednesday during his introductory Zoom call with the Mets. “I had to figure a lot of things out very quickly and then very quickly kind of moved into that backend role with the Yankees. Every season was a playoff season for the most part. I had a lot of guys behind me; my job was just to get the ball to them. So I never really thought about anything else other than just, 'Go out there and do my job.'

“You got a huge fan base, so you get used to playing in those big atmospheres. So when the postseason came around, it seemed like it was the same thing happening again."

David Robertson is asked why he chose the Mets over other options in free agency where he could've potentially been a closer:

"I've never been a guy who cares where I pitch. I want to win." pic.twitter.com/0Mkglmxl9T

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 14, 2022

Robertson picked up plenty of postseason experience with the Yankees, as well as with the Rays and Phillies. He recorded a 3.48 ERA over 30 playoff games with the Yanks, and he owns a 2.78 ERA over 41 postseason games for his career.

Robertson has not allowed a run in six World Series games. Surely the Mets would love to give him a chance to extend that streak in 2023.

Either way, Robertson figures to play a prominent role in the team’s bullpen. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019, he looked like his old self last year, registering a 2.40 ERA with 20 saves and 11.5 K/9 for the Cubs and Phillies before helping Philadelphia reach the Fall Classic.

Now Robertson is looking to do the same in a city he knows well, even if his uniform has changed.

“I want to be on a team that wants to win,” Robertson said. “I want to be in a competitive city and a good market, and that’s what the New York Mets have to offer.”

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