In 9 innings for the Miami Marlins, former New York Mets closer David Robertson has allowed 8 runs (7 earned). He pitched a whole lot more for the Mets prior to the trade deadline when in 44 innings of work he only allowed 13 runs (10 earned).
Going from a 2.05 ERA pitcher to the 7.00 ERA guy with a pair of losses already is drastic yet not totally uncharacteristic for even a reliable relief pitcher. The Marlins were hoping to get a no-nonsense, shutdown closer for the ninth. Instead, they’ve picked up a guy who has shown cracks already.
It hasn’t been as dreadful as the numbers suggest, though. Robertson has really only had two bad outings, the pair of blown saves resulting in a loss. Other than that, Robertson has been fairly decent for the Marlins. We’d gladly welcome him back to New York next if it’s something he’d be willing to do again. Wouldn’t you?
Thoughts of the NY Mets reuniting with David Robertson shouldn’t be over in the minds of fans who want him back
The Mets should already be on the hunt to find a replacement for Robertson. Internal choices are limited. There isn’t a can’t miss pitching prospect we can fully trust to step into the setup role in front of what we can only hope is a fully healthy Edwin Diaz for the 2023 season. Robertson, who said he had no interest in getting traded by the Mets, would make sense to come back yet again. We should wonder if he’d be willing to when considering how things ended.
Robertson is a smart guy who has been traded plenty of times. He has tested free agency. He has represented himself as his own agent. If anyone understands the business side of the sport, it’d be him.
The fallout after the Robertson to Miami trade changed a lot about the direction of this franchise. How eager the Mets are to try and compete next year will have a lot to do with whether or not a player nearing the end of his career would be willing to sign with the ball club. Robertson’s days in the majors are numbered. Other than making a few bucks before it’s over, winning a championship should be second to only location and what’s best for him and his family.
Making this year’s trade deadline especially interesting for the Mets is how many holes the departed have left with the roster. This isn’t a case of the Mets trading Ty Wigginton to pave a clearer path for David Wright. Just about every move they did make created questions at the position they once called their own. There are candidates, but no starting pitcher, left fielder, or even reliever pounding hard enough not even Hodor could stop them from breaking in.
Finding good relief pitchers is one of the toughest tasks for any general manager. Robertson had some of the same sort of meltdowns with the Philadelphia Phillies last year after getting traded there from the Chicago Cubs. We’ll have to keep an eye on whether or not things even out. My guess is Robertson ends up being more like his Mets-self than he has been and in November we resume the talk of welcoming him back.