The Pro and Cons of a Qualifying Offer for David Robertson

Many worried about what the New York Yankees would do with their bullpen when the great Mariano Rivera retired and that has been answered in a big way, they will hand the ball to David Robertson. Robertson saved his 30^th game of the season Monday night saving a gem for Brandon McCarthy as he continues to add dollars to his next contract after the 2014 season. Robertson is set to be a free agent after this year which is leading many to believe that the Yankees will offer the right hander a qualifying offer for next season if they don’t extend him first. This like any other deal has its advantages and disadvantages for the team.

The qualifying offer is rumored to be right at or slightly above $15 million for the 2015 season on a one year deal. If Robertson were to accept the offer the Yankees would get a cost friendly and team friendly closer in 2015 with little to no risk for the future. Robertson also gets a healthy raise and a chance to prove that this was not just a one year fluke and he can be a great closer going forward. If Robertson declines the Yankees would get a high draft pick as compensation and can plug Dellin Betances into the role next season and plug the 7^th or 8^th inning up with a veteran in the offseason.

The disadvantages could be that Robertson takes the qualifying offer personally and does not want to come back. The Yankees have already broken their long unwritten rule of negotiating deals before the current deal is up when they extended Brett Gardner this winter and Robertson may be asking why he isn’t next. If Robertson accepts the offer and has another stellar season as the back end of the bullpen he will undoubtedly want a raise on that $15 million making him a pretty expensive bullpen arm. Also the Yankees could easily move Betances up to the 9^th inning, Adam Warren up to the 8^th inning, and Shawn Kelley to the 7^th inning but that still leaves a huge gaping hole in the Yankees bullpen for next season. You can fill that via free agency but you also deal with the devil you know (Robertson) vs. the devil you don’t (Free agent) which is huge when considering coming to New York.

The Yankees are taking a huge risk by not extending Robertson now and waiting until the end of the season to negotiate. This will either work out in the Yankees favor or will backfire heavily. I do believe that Robertson loves being a Yankee and loves being in New York which may fetch the team a home town discount but we all were saying that last season as well with Robinson Cano. Nobody wants that fiasco again, do we?