Former Rays reliever calls it a career after 17 MLB seasons

When you ponder the greatest relief pitchers of all time, names like Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera will obviously come to mind. In a second tier, you may see this reliever back in the corner. Throughout his career, he's been an underrated presence for clubs like the Yankees, Rays, and Phillies. Now that he has retired from this great sport, fans are looking back (particularly Yankees fans) and recognizing the magnitude of this workhorse's career.

David Robertson has retired from baseball after 17 MLB seasons

179 saves and over 1,000 strikeouts later, David Robertson is hanging up the cleats. Will he be considered for the renowned Hall of Fame? Probably not, but the hard-working reliever has a lot to be proud of throughout his lengthy career.

One mind-boggling stat from the 40-year-old pitcher is his 2.93 career ERA. That stat is actually significantly better than Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley's 3.50 ERA. Robertson's fantastic ability to keep runs off the board was what made him so consistently good.

Robertson never lit up the radar gun, possessing a low 90s cutter that simply "missed barrels". It was the name of his game, and he thrived on its effectiveness. The Alabama native began his career with the Yankees and remained in pinstripes for seven straight seasons. Within those seven years, Robertson had a special 2011 campaign where he posted a 1.08 ERA in 66 innings as the Yankees closer. The elite reliever also received his first and only All-Star appearance that season further alluding to his underrated nature.

David Robertson only tossed a dozen innings for the Rays in 2021 after he was signed mid-season. In those 12 innings, he gave up 11 hits and 6 earned runs as the Rays and Marlins remain the only two clubs that Robertson has produced negatively for. Despite those struggles, the respected hurler was a valued member of the Rays bullpen for a short time. His veteran presence did not go unnoticed. After the conclusion of the 2021 season, Robertson elected free agency and was signed Cubs days prior to the 2022 regular season.