David Robertson says return to Mets is a ‘possibility’ for 2024

MIAMI — David Robertson has been the Mets’ best reliever in his four months with the club, but life in South Florida hasn’t been so easy for him.

“I’ve just been struggling since I got traded here,” Robertson said Monday before the Mets beat the Marlins 2-1 at LoanDepot Park. “I’m trying to make adjustments and get guys out there.”

Demoted from closer, the veteran right-hander owns a 6.48 ERA in 17 appearances for the Marlins.

That night, he pitched a scoreless eighth inning against his former team.

In his previous appearance, Friday against the Braves, he entered the sixth inning and recorded only two outs before being eliminated with two runs allowed.

That’s not quite what the Marlins expected when they acquired the 38-year-old at the trade deadline for teenage prospects Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez.

Robertson slipped into the Mets’ closer role with Edwin Diaz’s knee surgery in March and pitched to a 2.05 ERA with 14 saves in 40 appearances after signing a one-year contract. ‘worth 10 million dollars.

Would Robertson consider a reunion with the Mets this offseason?

“I should check and see,” he said. “At this point, anything is definitely possible. Wait and see how the rest of the season goes and what it looks like for me in the offseason.

First and foremost, Robertson must decide if he wants to continue pitching.

“If the opportunity presents itself, if everything works out in my favor, I would probably take the opportunity, but if not, I won’t,” he said.

Robertson has previously expressed his desire to pitch in the Northeast, near his home in Rhode Island.

But it’s also possible that his disappointing second half with the Marlins discourages the Mets (under new president of baseball operations David Stearns) from pursuing him.

Last offseason, Robertson didn’t need much prodding from the Mets to sign.

“I’m 38, so I’m just trying to pick the team that I think would be the best,” Robertson said. “It looked like the Mets were a good fit for me last year, but it didn’t work out – injuries early on and we couldn’t put them together between the lines, the rest of the team didn’t. didn’t do it and I was moved.

With the Marlins, he at least has a chance in the postseason — the team entered play in a tie for the third NL wild card spot, after sweeping the Braves three games over the weekend.

Last season, Robertson was traded to the Phillies in August and was part of the team’s NL pennant race.

“I think if we can make (the playoffs), we have a good chance,” Robertson said. “Look at Philadelphia last year, we weren’t the best team until the end, but until the end we caught fire when we got into the playoffs and were able to make a run until the end. the end. We just fell a little short.

But Robertson admitted that the story of pitching for a team that falls out of contention and gets traded during the season has gotten old for him.

“It’s not the first time I’ve been on a team and this has happened, so I’m not surprised,” he said. “It sucks to be a part of it again.” No one likes to be traded mid-season. It just got out of hand: This is my (fifth) team in three years, it’s not really a fun thing to do when you’re 38 and three kids.