David Robertson’s Injury Worse than First Thought

New York Yankees set-man David Robertson’s status for opening day could be in question. The key high-leverage reliever injured his foot while stumbling on a set of stairs. Robertson – who is currently in a walking boot – had an MRI on the foot, which raised further questions about the severity of the injury, according to manager Joe Girardi. The right-hander will undergo further tests, including a CT scan and a weight-bearing x-ray.

The injury – if serious enough for Robertson to miss significant time – could put added strain on the Yankees bullpen with Rafael Soriano, coming off an injury of his own, likely moving up to take the key eighth-inning duties. It could also increase the roles of pitchers such as Phil Hughes and Dellin Betances, giving them a chance to shine. The organization has a lot of depth in the starting rotation, but less so in the bullpen.

Robertson, who is the likely heir apparent to closer Mariano Rivera, was almost unhittable (5.40 H/9) and tied for sixth in the Majors in reliever shutdowns with 37. He fanned 13.50 batters per nine innings and allowed just one home run in more than 60 innings of work. Most 2012 projections had Robertson posting numbers that would place him among the best in the Majors once again.

The loss of Robertson for a significant period of time will not have the same impact as losing someone like Robinson Cano or Mark Teixeira but it could very well cost the club a couple of wins early on in the season. Foot injuries also have a habit of lingering. With any luck Robertson’s injury will prove to be modest with only a few weeks on the sidelines.