This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.

WASHINGTON -- When the Mets misplaced Edwin Díaz to harm throughout the World Baseball Classic in March, the worry was their aid corps would collapse with out their all-world nearer. But two months later, that has not occurred. Through 42 video games, no bullpen in baseball has blown fewer saves than the Mets (3).

There are loads of explanation why. But a giant one is David Robertson, who recorded his 1,000th profession strikeout throughout Friday’s win over the Nationals. The 38-year-old has been lights out in Díaz’s place, going 7-for-7 in save possibilities with a 0.53 ERA in his first 15 appearances for the Mets.

“I’ve been chasing [1,000] for a while,” Robertson stated this weekend in Washington. “I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to get to it or not. It’s a big number for me. I look at it as the kind of accomplishment like [Max] Scherzer and [Justin] Verlander got when they got to 3,000. Getting to 1,000 for a reliever is a big deal.”

All of which makes this a tremendous time to acknowledge the regular excellence of Robertson, who's quietly placing himself amongst a number of the prime relievers, not solely of his period, however in MLB historical past.

Among pitchers with at the very least 700 aid appearances, his 11.9 Okay/9 in aid is fourth since 1906. And not solely is he the 14th pitcher with 1,000 strikeouts solely in aid, he’s performed so in solely 746 profession appearances and 756 1/3 innings -- 56th and 126th all time, respectively.

“I got a new elbow -- that helped a lot,” Robertson stated, referring to the Tommy John surgical procedure he underwent in 2019 at age 34. “I was definitely not going to get there without that surgery. I just try to stay in shape and keep a positive attitude, and when I get between the lines, do everything I can to try to get those outs.”

Robertson spent most of 2019-21 recovering from that surgical procedure. Otherwise, he’s averaged 79 strikeouts per 12 months in his previous 4 full seasons. So assuming he pitches at the very least a couple of extra, he stands an opportunity at shifting increased on the all-time record:

6. Jesse Orosco, 1,1697. Lindy McDaniel, 1,1658. Francisco Rodriguez, 1,1429. Mariano Rivera, 1,13510. Trevor Hoffman, 1,13311. *Kenley Jansen, 1,12412. *Craig Kimbrel, 1,12213. *Aroldis Chapman, 1,06614. *David Robertson, 1,000

(*denotes at the moment lively.)

And given how effectively he’s pitching, that’s not an unfair assumption. Asked if he has an thought of how lengthy he’d wish to pitch past this 12 months, Robertson stated he “doesn’t think of myself as being old” and that he “still feels I’m at the top of my game.” 

“That’s why I keep taking one-year deals,” he stated. “I would like to end it on a high note. I want to end it on a World Series Mets' Robertson joins exclusive reliever K club. That’s my goal. If not, I’ll see if my wife will let me play some more.”

This weekend’s milestone additionally allowed Robertson to replicate on his first strikeout, from again on June 29, 2008. The story struck an amusing chord within the Mets clubhouse. Robertson’s first sufferer? Oliver Pérez, the journeyman left-handed reliever who spent elements of 5 eventful seasons (largely) beginning video games for the Mets from 2006-’10. 

“Nine pitches,” Robertson chuckled. “That wasn’t an easy out for me. But I got him out, let’s put it that way.”

Content Source: www.mlb.com