David Robertson, currently playing for the Texas Rangers, recently surpassed Mariano Rivera in relief strikeouts during a game against the Chicago White Sox. Robertson, who faced Rivera in their time together with the New York Yankees, admires the Hall of Famer and learned a lot from him during his early years in the majors. Rivera, with a record 652 saves in his 19-season career, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. Robertson, now with 1,137 relief strikeouts, ranks 12th in MLB history, just two strikeouts ahead of Rivera, with Francisco Rodríguez next in line at 1,142.

Robertson and Rivera were part of the Yankees bullpen during their World Series win in 2009, and Robertson acknowledges the impact Rivera had on him as a player. Growing up in Alabama, Robertson didn’t follow baseball closely, but upon joining the Yankees, he realized the magnitude of Rivera’s career and the tradition he represented. Robertson expressed his surprise at being in a category close to Rivera, given the latter’s exceptional career.

In his 16th big league season, Robertson has a 3-3 record with a 3.00 ERA and two saves. Texas has won 43 out of the 53 games in which Robertson has appeared. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy commended Robertson’s achievement, emphasizing his place among the greatest relievers in the game. Bochy highlighted the rarity of Robertson’s accomplishment, surpassing not only Rivera but also Trevor Hoffman on the all-time list of relievers with the most strikeouts.