Yankees Rumors: Unknown Team Offers David Robertson Three-Year Deal

With about a week to go until the Winter Meetings in San Diego, California, it seems as if the market is beginning to heat up for free agent reliever David Robertson. According to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, a rival executive told him that Robertson has been offered a three-year, $39 million deal from a team that has not been identified.

Robertson, who turned down a one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offer from the New York Yankees, has been said to be looking for Jonathan Papelbon–type money from teams in a free agent deal. If he signs with another club, the Yankees would get a draft pick back in return as compensation. So far, the market hasn’t been high for D-Rob in terms of suitors, with only the Houston Astros the only team reportedly expressing their interest.

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The issue for some for Robertson in keeping him in pinstripes is the length of a new deal, especially with a dominant reliever in Dellin Betances already on the roster. Heyman brings up in his piece about how New York may have to go four years to keep D-Rob and could be pressured to do so by what has already happened this winter in the division (i.e Red Sox and Blue Jays making moves).

Robertson, who turns 30 next April, is coming off a season where he saved 39 games in 44 chances with a 3.08 ERA in his first season as closer. He has appeared in more than 63 games in every season since 2010 and his 96 strikeouts this past season were the most he  had since 2011 (100). The question that has to be asked that is if New York isn’t as interested in offering four years to D-Rob, who else would be on their target list?

Well, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe offered that answered in his column on Sunday. In the article, Cafardo talks about a rival AL East general manager saying the maybe New York would “change direction” to go after Andrew Miller, the premier left-handed reliever on the market.

Miller could make a decision soon, according to his agent, Mark Rodgers, and will also be going into his age 30 season next year. Miller could also be in line for a four-year deal from a team, according to Heyman. One of those teams that is seriously interested is the Yankees. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, New York has a significant amount of interest in the left-hander.