Yankees put in waiver claim for David Robertson, but White Sox don't make deal

The New York Yankees placed a waiver claim on David Robertson and had until 1 p.m. Monday to make a trade for the White Sox closer, but the Sox pulled back the claim before the deadline.

Robertson, 30, left New York for Chicago as a free agent after serving as the Yankees closer last season. The Sox signed Robertson (6-3, 2.60 ERA, 27 saves) to a four-year, $46 million contract, a deal that has arguably worked out better than any of the their splashy offseason moves including a trade for right-hander Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.85 ERA) and the signings of outfielder Melky Cabrera (.279, nine homers, 62 RBI) and designated hitter Adam LaRoche (.212, 12 homers, 43 RBI).

The Sox (61-68) have disappointed since April and already are considering courses of action for 2016. Robertson has about $2 million left on his contract this season and will make $11 million, $12 million and $13 million over the next three seasons. The Sox – and other clubs — routinely put players through waivers, not necessarily to dump the player but to gauge market interest.

The Sox need position players to upgrade their roster and could deal from a strength – the bullpen’s 3.35 ERA ranks seventh in the American League and is at 2.47 over the last 51 games – by dealing Robertson in the offseason. Since returning from Tommy John surgery, Nate Jones, considered a closer candidate during the spring of 2014, is once again featuring closer-type stuff in his nine appearances, eight of them scoreless. Jones (1.86 ERA) has struck out 15 while allowing two walks and five hits over 9 2/3 innings, primarily in the important eighth-inning role.

Through Sunday, the Yankees trailed the Toronto Blue Jays by 1 1/2 games in the AL East. The back end of their bullpen is already solid with closer Andrew Miller and set-up man Dellin Betances. Robertson was the Yankees set-up man before taking over closer duties last season after Mariano Rivera retired.

The Blue Jays could have claimed Robertson had New York not done so, and it’s possible the Yankees were blocking the wheeling, dealing Jays from attempting to acquire him.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported the waiver claim of Robertson.