Free Agent Profile: David Robertson, RP

Position: RP B/T: R/R

Age: 39 (04/09/1985)

2024 Traditional Stats: 68 G, 72 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.111 WHIP, 99 K, 27 BB

2024 Advanced Stats: 132 ERA+, 33.5% K%, 9.1% BB%, 3.22 xERA, 2.65 FIP, 2.88 xFIP, 1.9 fWAR, 1.7 bWAR

Rundown

Four years ago, David Robertson‘s major league career seemed all but over. He’d undergone Tommy John surgery, then suffered a setback that forced him to miss all of the 2020 season. Yet in 2024, Robertson proved for the third straight year that he’s still a reliable arm, putting together a season reminiscent of his younger years.

Robertson threw a career-high 72 innings, and while his 3.00 ERA may not jump off the page, his 2.65 FIP and 2.88 xFIP are his strongest marks since 2017, as is his 33.5% strikeout rate and 47% ground-ball rate. His 99 strikeouts are the second-highest total of his career, trailing just his All-Star 2011 campaign, and he allowed just five home runs, the fewest he’s surrendered in a full season since 2013.

Robertson made headlines on June 12 when he struck out Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman in order, becoming the first pitcher to do so in the season. The next night, Robertson did it again, punching out the three MVPs in a row, this time escaping a two-on, none-out jam. Robertson’s ERA climbed to a season-high 3.62 ERA after the Mets tagged him for a pair of runs on June 18, but from that point forward, he posted a 2.50 ERA and held his opponents to a .561 OPS over 39 2/3 innings.

Just like the rest of his career, Robertson’s cutter was his bread-and-butter pitch in 2024, registering a strong plus-19 run value, the third-most valuable cutter in the majors, trailing only Corbin Burnes and Emmanuel Clase. Robertson didn’t lose any velocity on the cutter, still averaging 93.3 miles per hour and seeing the whiff rate increase to 30.8%, the highest it’s ever been. His curveball took a step back though, getting rocked for a .292 xBA and .475 xSLG, and the whiff rate on the pitch dropped from 37.8% to 28.7%. Robertson used his cutter 63.4% of the time and his curve at a 26.8% rate, only using his slider 6.7% of the time, compared to 19.9% in 2023.

Contract

MLB Trade Rumors predicts Robertson will get a one-year deal worth $11 million. He made $10 million each of the last two seasons and declined his end of a $7 million mutual option following this season. It is unknown whether or not Robertson will continue to play beyond the 2025 season.

Recommendation

If Robertson were to return to the Mets, it would be his fourth go-around in the Big Apple. He has been successful in each of his three tenures in New York and has extensive playoff experience, owning a 3.04 ERA in 42 playoff appearances. The primary concern with Robertson is his age, as he’ll turn 40 next April. The bullpen was the Mets’ biggest weakness for the majority of the 2024 season and Robertson can still serve as a high-leverage arm, plus he has closing experience and can spell Edwin Díaz some rest when necessary. Reunions don’t always work out, but Robertson seems like a great fit for a Mets team with big aspirations in 2025.

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