The Cubs announced the signing of veteran reliever David Robertson to a one-year, Major League contract. Codi Heuer (who recently underwent Tommy John surgery) was placed on Chicago’s 60-day injured list to open up roster space. Robertson will earn $3.5MM in guaranteed money, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets, and the right-hander can earn up to $1.5MM more in incentives. 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reported earlier today that Robertson and the Cubs were in talks about a possible deal.
Robertson comes to Chicago after tossing 12 innings with the Rays last season, plus four more frames of work in the playoffs. It marked the right-hander’s first big league action since he threw 6 2/3 innings with the Phillies in 2019 before being sidelined by Tommy John surgery.
Prior to that surgery, Robertson had been essentially the picture of durability over his 11 previous seasons as a workhorse in the Yankees and White Sox bullpens. Robertson combined that reliability with great results, as he posted a 2.93 ERA and 32.4% strikeout rate in 657 innings over those 11 seasons, acting as both a quality closer and a set-up man.
This track record led to a two-year, $23MM free agent deal with the Phillies, though Robertson barely pitched for the team due to his TJ surgery and recovery. Robertson held multiple showcases for teams last winter but didn’t land a new contract, and instead pitched for the silver medal-winning Team USA at this past summer’s Olympics Games in Tokyo. Robertson finally caught on with the Rays, and has now earned another guaranteed contract with the Cubs.
After essentially three lost seasons, it is hard to know what to expect from Robertson as he enters his age-37 campaign. A return to his pre-2019 form is perhaps optimistic, and yet there is also plenty of opportunity for Robertson to once again work as a closer for a Chicago-based team. Robertson certainly has the most closing experience of anyone in the Cubs bullpen, and is one of only a few veterans overall (besides the recently-signed Chris Martin and minor league addition Jesse Chavez) amidst a young relief corps.
Some more signings could certainly be in the offing for a Cubs team that has been aggressive this winter, though Seiya Suzuki’s five-year deal represents the club’s only true long-term commitment (Marcus Stroman can opt out of his three-year contract after the 2023 season). The seeming aversion to longer-term contracts may mean that the Cubs won’t splurge on any big deal for a relief pitcher, thus enhancing Robertson’s chances of winning the closer job during Spring Training.
Cubs are quietly making moves. This is gonna be a much improved team next season.
If they hit the ball 1st look out! Might shock a few people.
They shocked everyone in 2015 making it to the nlcs. Not sure anyone really expected that. They won like 2 maybe year before they were supposed to. The talking heads predicted they’d finish 4th in 2020. Short season or not they still won the division. Ending in a massive disappointment
As always, we await developments.
An accurate statement, diplomatically put.
Whoppity doo
Definitely an interesting team and still have tons of payroll flexibility.
Ehhh, I wish you were right, but it’s still going to be ugly. Can you name 4 bullpen guys for them right now? It’s very ugly down there.
Who are the 4th and 5th starters? Mills? Alzolay on shelf to start season. Brault? Yuck.
Who is in the middle of the order? Suzuki, Contreras, Wisdom, Schwindel? The first two are fine, but yuck after that.
They need to add about 6-8 more decent players to win 85 games.
Mills or Alzolay as the 5th man isn’t bad, but right I mean is Keegan Thompson going to slot in now? Greinke would’ve been nice at $13 million but I can’t imagine Jed is done yet. I have to wonder if they’re shopping Contreras for a decent backup catcher and a top arm.
They should be fine in the bullpen with all of the young high draft pick arms coming up and they’ve done a decent job of finding gems from the heap. We just have question marks all over the infield and it can be a boon or bust there. Even 2B isn’t proven between the at-bats of Madrigal and Nico.
Slowly but surely contenders for that 12th spot!
And where exactly would those players play? They dont have 6 spots open. Pitching is what they need. And a closer. Someone like Castellanos as the DH. Wisdom and Schwindel are late bloomers. A full year will either show they’re legit or it was a fluke. Wisdom had a phenomenal start last May.
downsr… What makes you think they’re done?
My mood has changed so much in 24 hours. Sign everyone!
But not to contending status IMO. That bullpen is gonna be rough. And will Hendricks come back to form? The rotation is not very good and their starters are soft tossers. Yet it’s the offense I’d be most concerned about. They seem to be counting on journey men type of guys like Schwindel. Ortega & Wisdom continuing their partial season success from last year. This is a bad team.
@rememberthecoop I agree.
I think if they make some deals, they can be an 85 win team.
I’d trade Contreras for Luke Voit, and let Gomes take over primary catcher spot. Voit is controlled until 2025, so getting him for a year of Contreras is a good swap IMO. From there, if it wasn’t for compensation in signing Conforto, he’d be a great fit to make the lineup more dangerous. Right now, like you said – way too many questions and fliers.
From there, I’m signing one of Michael Pineda or Johnny Cueto as an innings eater. That gives you a decent rotation of Stroman, Hendricks, Pineda/Cueto, Miley and then Alzolay if healthy, otherwise Mills.
Bullpen is looking a little better with Robertson, Chavez and Martin all signed, but I’d let Alzolay use his weapons in the bullpen and groom him like the Cardinals did with Alex Reyes. That would deepen the bullpen a lot (if he’s healthy).
If they trade Contreras they better get more then just a DH. Gotta be minimum 3 players going back. They have no other catchers to be backup. That’s why they signed Gomes to be the backup. And I think they signed him after it was reported that their #1 catching prospect would be out for the year with TJS. Trading him makes zero sense. The smart move is to extend him. 5/82.5 with a 6th year option is very reasonable for both sides.
With one more year of heavily unbalanced schedules, and Cincinnati and Pittsburgh going the cheap way to 60-65 wins, sneaking into the #6 spot might be possible even as the third place team in the NL Central. But they face the AL East this year, which could pose a problem when comparing records to the NL East second place team.
Everyone doubts Jed but he’s making some pretty good moves.
Hmm. Is there a warrant for his arrest? Because he absolutely robbed the Phillies.
I wonder if he negotiated with Jed directly.
The old tear the UCL bait and switch…
Who robbed the Phllies?
We still owe them for Sandberg.
Take notes Cincinnati. This is how you rebuild and stay competitive at the same time
They don’t have the money
Well, they did just take on 10 million dollars in salary for 34 yr old Mike Minor… That seems a lil odd.
Every MLB owner cries poor during CBA negotiations or as they’re attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of their gullible fans. And then they get together and pony up a bid for Chelsea after a surprise development put the Premier League team on the market.
Stop Believing Billionaires When They Cry Poor Challenge.
(Official sponsor: $12 Miller Lites at MLB stadiums near you)
@Milwaukee I actually disagree a bit. I think the Cubs are spending too much to call this a rebuild. Not on Robertson. Just with some of their other moves.
Cub front office has insisted all along that it was a retool
The Cubs said they were not in a rebuild when they traded the expiring contracts last year.
I absolutely love the “more to come” tags when these stories break. Honestly, how much more can there be to the signing of a David Robertson?
I appreciate all the hard work that these writers do, but I don’t need to know that he had a great week in April of 2018.
These signings are what they are at this point—roster fillers. Keep them coming, writers, but don’t burn yourself with with over analysis of analytics that don’t really matter.
For one, contract terms. I have no issues with “more to come” as they’re in the business of breaking news/trade rumors. If you want something definitive, there are always ESPN, SI, etc.
100%. they’re posting as soon as they can to get it on site then updating as more details are confirmed.
Was anxious and kind of pissed at the cubs last night. I can see a path to competing in a relatively weak division at this point. Another move or two and it’s totally realistic
Freddie!
Jk
It would be funny if they called Freddie’s agent and offered something crazy like 3/100. Freeman hitting at Wrigley 81 times a year…
Alzoley has a bad shoulder and will miss the beginning of the season.
I don’t want Voit – I don’t know if he would be appreciably better than Frank the Tank anyway. If they’re going to move Contreras, and I think they will, I’d rather obtain a younger prospect. As you said, Yan Gomes can be the starting catcher.
And yes, give me another starter, but I seriously doubt it. And if they do, they’ll be shopping more for depth than for Cueto.
I predict 78-84. .
No, it’s “Frederick!”
Helps the pen. Could close if need be.
Or, they could use him as a set-up man and get Kimbrel back from the Sox.
I saw him pitch for the High Point Rockers last year!
Hey, Oglethorpe
Dumpster divin’ Jed to the rescue again.
Aren’t you excited, Ogle?
I was pretty sure his arm had actually fallen off. glad to see he’s back.
3 days ago Cards announce Flaherty and Reyes are shut down seeking opinions on shoulder problems…does Jed smell blood in the water?
Happy to See D-Rob, aka, Houdini, back in the league. Trade deadline pick for the a Yankees again I hope