Ex-Yankees, Rangers 40-Year-Old Shutdown Reliever Loosely Linked To Royals
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Every team spends the entire Major League Baseball season worrying about their bullpen, and the Kansas City Royals are no exception.
In general, the Royals' bullpen has been average so far this season, posting a 3.77 ERA that ranks 17th in MLB. But they've also dealt with a fair amount of turnover, with Hunter Harvey and Sam Long currently on the injured list.
Currently riding a four-game losing streak, the Royals are starting to feel a bit of early-season panic. Do they need to go out and make a move to improve any part of the roster, whether that's the bullpen or somewhere on the position player depth chart?
On Thursday, FanSided's Caleb Moody discussed the possibility that the Royals could sign 16-year veteran David Robertson, a World Series champion with the New York Yankees back in 2009, to round out their bullpen in a rare in-season free-agency addition.
"(The Royals') more reliable unit of relievers has now been struck by the injury bug," Moody wrote. "While it may be somewhat unconventional, a lasting solution could come via the free agent market in a former star closer - David Robertson, who is still available to sign.
"His presence in the Royals 'pen would make a lot of sense for multiple reasons. He could come in an lengthen the back end of this bullpen, giving the Royals high-leverage quality over the last four innings now."
Robertson, 40, has pitched in a total of 861 big-league games for eight different teams. Last season, he put up a 3.00 ERA and 2.65 FIP with the Texas Rangers, striking out 99 batters in only 72 innings pitched, the sixth-most strikeouts of all relief pitchers.
It's unclear at this point what it would take to sign Robertson, as the veteran represents himself and seems to be waiting for the right offer and opportunity rather than rushing into anything. But finances aside, there's no doubt he'd be an intriguing addition for Kansas City with lots of potential.
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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
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