2 weeks Ago
With the Texas Rangers off to a strong start to the season, the franchise is hopeful of continuing their winning ways throughout the year. In 2024, the Rangers were never able to get off the ground after winning the World Series the campaign prior. However, this winter, Texas had a solid offseason and was able to bring in some new faces to help reshape the team.
While the additions of Joc Pederson and Jake Burger were the notable ones to the lineup, the bullpen also saw a ton of changes. Due to some payroll constraints and trying to be mindful of the luxury tax, the Rangers opted to let go of a couple of key members of the bullpen. This created a lot of concern about who would be closing out games after Kirby Yates signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers .
However, they added some veterans both in free agency and the trade market that were a bit more affordable. So far, the unit has been fine for Texas, and right-hander Luke Jackson has emerged as the closer. Surprisingly, even though the bullpen was a strength of the team in 2024, one of the key members of the unit is still unsigned.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently named some potential candidates to sign Robertson being the Chicago Cubs , Detroit Tigers , Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels . “Maybe he's just biding his time until some team with a rickety bullpen gets desperate enough to offer him at least that much. There are already quite a few teams well on their way to meeting that description,” Kelly writes.
After an excellent campaign in 2024, Robertson should have plenty of suitors, but yet he remains unsigned. This past winter, he declined his part of a $7 million mutual option with the Rangers, which sent him to free agency. Obviously, his asking price during the winter was going to be above that number, but seemingly didn’t draw the interest that many would have expected.
Now, he remains a free agent with the ability to help a bullpen in high-leverage situations. Of some of the teams mentioned, both the Cubs and the Tigers are playoff contenders this year and, for the Cubs especially, they could use help in the bullpen. Chicago currently has one of the worst bullpen ERAs in baseball, indicating some help could be needed.
While his age might be a concern at 40 years old, the right-hander showed no signs of decline as one of the best setup men in baseball last year. As the season progresses, Robertson will certainly be mentioned for teams that need some bullpen help. Recommended Articles.
