Even after the trade for Ryan Pressly, the Chicago Cubs are expected to add another veteran to their bullpen.
Prior to the trade for Pressly, the Cubs had been linked to several free-agent relief pitchers. Among the pitchers the Cubs were evaluating were Ryne Stanek, Carlos Estévez, David Robertson, and Tommy Kahnle.
Deductive reasoning would point to one of those veterans joining the Cubs' bullpen fairly soon.
This past Wednesday was movement day for the free-agent market for relief pitchers. Stanek returned to the Mets on a one-year deal, Estévez inked a two-year deal with the Kansas City Royals, and Tommy Kahnle went to the Detroit Tigers on a one-year deal.
If you're keeping track at home, Robertson is one of the few remaining Cubs' targets on the board and a reunion with the North Siders may already be in the work.
"Keep your eye on David Robertson ... that would be another key addition."@MLBBruceLevine could see David Robertson back in a Cubs uniform 👀 pic.twitter.com/vgu56RapTS
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) January 29, 2025
The 39-year-old Robertson would be joining a much different Cubs team than the one he was on during the 2022 season. Robertson served as the closer for a Cubs' team in 2022 that was in the final year of Jed Hoyer's version of a reset following his destruction of the World Series-winning core at the 2021 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. Robertson's 14 saves and 2.23 ERA to open the 2022 season with the Cubs were enough for the team to move the veteran to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ben Brown.
Fast forward to this offseason, and the addition of Robertson would be the perfect conclusion to Hoyer's aggressive turnaround of the bullpen. With Pressly and Porter Hodge expected to be in the mix for closing opportunities, Robertson, and a healthy Brown, figure to be the key components for the Cubs in high-leverage situations.
With the Texas Rangers this past season, Robertson posted a 3.00 ERA in 68 appearances. Robertson's 2.65 FIP last season is also a reason for the Cubs to want to push this potential signing across the finish line.