The Los Angeles Dodgers figure to be active on multiple fronts this offseason, whether it be in free agency or through the trade market. Among the areas that the club will attempt to upgrade is the bullpen.
The Dodgers’ relief corps held their own for the most part in 2018, but noticeably struggled to replace former setup man Brandon Morrow as a late-inning bridge to closer Kenley Jansen. Thus, finding an established reliever figures to be a top priority for the Dodgers this winter.
They will have an abundance of options to choose from, with a variety of high-priced relievers and potential bargains available in a flush free agent market.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Dodgers are among a half-dozen teams to express interest in signing former New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox right-hander David Robertson:
According to sources, between 6-8 teams have expressed interest in David Robertson. Among them are the Dodgers, Red Sox and Mets.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 10, 2018
Robertson, 33, is coming off an excellent season for the Yankees in which he posted a 3.23 ERA, 2.97 FIP and 1.03 WHIP with 91 strikeouts against 26 walks over 69.2 innings pitched.
With experience as both a closer and setup man, Robertson would fit in nicely in the Dodgers bullpen. Moreover, he could serve as potential insurance in the event Jansen misses some time next season.
While Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has historically shied away from dishing out lucrative contracts to relievers, he left open the possibility of doing so this offseason.
Across 11 MLB seasons, Robertson owns a career 2.88 ERA, 2.81 FIP and 1.15 WHIP with 874 strikeouts and 137 saves in 657 innings of work.
