David Robertson has plenty on his mind this spring.
The White Sox closer is coming back from offseason knee surgery and must balance preparing for the season with pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
He figures he’s not going to add trade rumors to his list of concerns until he has to.
Robertson’s name has ranked just behind left-hander Jose Quintana on the list of most likely trade candidates during the Sox rebuild.
Just last week, reports surfaced that the Sox had been in talks with the Nationals to deal the nine-year major-league veteran, but they hit a stalemate. Robertson has two years and $25 million left on his contract, which could factor in to the return on any trade.
“What else can I do?” Robertson said Tuesday from Camelback Ranch as pitchers and catchers reported. “I’m here to play baseball. I’m going to continue to work on getting better and let the cards fall where they’re going to be. … If I stay here, great. If I get moved, it’s their decision.”
Robertson said he’s ready to go after offseason knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
It was something that had been nagging him for a while, but he wasn’t blaming any of his performances on the issue, he said. He posted a 5-3 record and 3.47 ERA, his highest since 2010, over 62 1/3 innings in 2016. He converted on 37 of 44 save opportunities.
“Obviously, I needed to get it fixed because it was irritating me, but I’m not going to put any of my performances on that,” Robertson said. “But what pitcher or player doesn’t play through some discomfort? That’s the way I look at it. I’d rather have lower half than my elbow or shoulder.”
In the past, Robertson has taken a lighter approach to spring training, but he had to begin throwing earlier this year because of his participation in the WBC.
“When I was first asked to do it, I had to think about it for a second, but I’m excited to do it,” Robertson said. “It’s a chance to represent my country, try something different. It’s going to be a lot of fun to meet a bunch of guys I played against for a while and be on the same team. … It kind of breaks up spring training a little bit.”
The White Sox will be a team in transition as they open spring training at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday. Gone are two of their biggest names — Chris Sale and Adam Eaton — and arriving are a host of newcomers looking to make an impression on their new team.
Here are nine questions facing the changing Sox.
(Colleen Kane)
The White Sox will have several factors in play while whittling down their roster during spring training, which opens Tuesday when pitchers and catchers report.
A spring trade is a possibility for a number of veterans, including Jose Quintana and David Robertson, and that could shake up the roster battles. The majority of the new prospects the Sox acquired in the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton trades figure to start the year in the minors, but there’s always a chance they could force their way into the big-league picture. That could make for an intriguing spring.
Here are the locks, good bets and long shots.
(Colleen Kane)
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