Earlier today, former Yankees reliever David Robertson took to his social media platforms to officially announce his retirement from baseball. At 40 years old, entering what would have been his age-41 season, this news is hardly a surprise, especially considering how the last few years have gone for the former Olympian. Yet, for anyone who knows me, this news is devastating.
Robertson was first drafted by the Yankees in the 17th round of the 2006 MLB Draft and worked his way through the minors before finally making his MLB debut in 2008. It was in 2009 that he truly made his mark during that postseason when he grounded out of a bases-loaded jam with no one in the 11th inning of the ALDS against the Twins. I remember saying to someone “this guy is going to be good”. And my love story had begun.
Since that playoff series, I was D-Rob’s #1 fan and I maintain that title to this day. His best season came two years later in 2011, when he finished with a 1.08 ERA, earned his only All-Star nod, and received Cy Young and MVP votes. He was the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time, and he filled that role well for a year before Brian Cashman ruined my life. He finished his first stint with the Yankees with a 2.81 ERA in 402 games before joining the White Sox on Chicago’s South Side in his first free agency stint.
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He spent two and a half seasons there before Brian Cashman attempted to make personal amends and brought him back for the 2017 playoffs. In those postseasons, we saw something truly remarkable from Robertson when he came in and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings as the Yankees came back to steal the victory at the hands of Luis Severino in the one-off Wild Card game. His second stint in the Bronx ended after the 2018 season when Brian Cashman ruined my life once again.
His first stint with the Phillies would also be quickly forgotten, as an injury forced his two-year contract to be shortened to just seven games in 2019 before he was shut down and unable to return to the mound until 2021, completely missing the COVID-shortened 2020 season. However, he had the opportunity to be a part of Team USA at the Olympics, where he competed in three matches and helped Team USA win the silver medal after losing to Japan in the final.
His time in the Olympics and overall resume were enough to earn him a flyer from the Rays to help bolster their bullpen for their own playoff push and run. Unfortunately, this stint with the Rays did not go very well for him, but he managed to secure a free agent contract for his second stint in the city of Chicago, this time he would pitch for the Cubs. They eventually traded him to the Phillies for his second stint there and since then he bounced around to the Mets, Marlins and Rangers until finally signing a mid-season deal with the Phillies in 2025, which we now know would end up being his final season as a major leaguer.
The end of his career will probably ruin some memories of him, but he really should be remembered fondly for a truly impressive career. It’s not often that someone is drafted with the pedigree of a reliever and actually goes on to have a 15-year career. Not only that, but he is a World Series champion, World Baseball Classic gold medalist, and Olympic silver medalist. He finished his career with a 2.93 ERA, a 143 ERA+, 179 saves and 1,176 strikeouts in 881 games. He won’t be a Hall of Famer (although he would have my vote…which is only part of why I don’t have a vote), but he is the pinnacle of what a truly good, steady relief pitcher should be.
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Sure, there have been some obstacles, but overall there are more good than bad and again, a 15-year career as a relief pitcher only is something truly remarkable in my books. It’s the most volatile position in the game and the fact that he did it this long should be remembered fondly. I wrote his entry in the PSA Top 100 Yankees series as well, and every year I came back to plead my case to Brian Cashman to sign him in free agency or trade him at the deadline. That’s why, even though I don’t come this way often anymore, I jumped at the chance to write his retirement article. He helped me fall in love with the game when I was just getting into it, and that’s why relief pitchers are my favorite players and why I was obsessed with them.
Thank you, D-Rob, for letting this baseball fan fall in love with you. I will cherish the memories of wearing my knee high socks during those playoffs you were a part of, and sometimes even channeling your spirit for the ones you weren’t a part of as well. I will miss my annual tradition. Congratulations on your extraordinary career and I wish you nothing but the best in your retirement and your next venture.
I knew this day would come, but I still think about the comments about D-Rob in the old PSA comments section before I even joined the staff year. Age comes for all of us, I guess. But today we hang our socks high with pride for this Yankee that was, tomorrow we will hang them even higher.
