ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have added veteran reliever David Robertson to their taxi squad and are expected to recall him from Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.
The Rays signed the 36-year-old on Aug. 16 after Robertson was part of the silver medal-winning United States team at the Tokyo Olympics.
The AL East-leading Rays began Tuesday with a seven-game lead over the New York Yankees, for whom Robertson played nine of his 12 major league seasons.
“I’m excited to be part of the team and see what happens from here,” Robertson said on Tuesday. “I’ve always enjoyed playing against the Rays just because they were the toughest, scratchiest team we played against and now I’m on the other side of it. I’m ready to go.”
Robertson last pitched in the majors on April 14, 2019 with Philadelphia. He had Tommy John surgery in August of that year and had a setback a year later.
“I feel great now because my elbow doesn’t hurt,” Robertson said. “I kind of rushed things. It was major surgery and I wasn’t a young kid when I had it, so it took longer than I thought to heal. I should have listened to my body.”
The right-hander is 55-33 with 137 saves and a 2.90 ERA in 661 appearances.
“He has as much experience as anybody on our team,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think that will help. When he’s healthy he’s shown and proven that he’s been a very, very good reliever in whatever role.”
Game notes
Cash said reliever Ryan Thompson (right shoulder inflammation) has been shut down from his rehab assignment and that RHP Oliver Drake (right flexor tendon strain) is most likely done for the season. … RHP Aaron Slegers was signed to a minor league deal with an invitation to next year’s spring training.