David Robertson is preparing in Arizona for his 16th Major League season, but it will be the first for the former Alabama standout with the Texas Rangers.

With 175 MLB saves, Robertson has more than the rest of the Texas pitching staff combined. But the right-hander hasn’t been assigned a bullpen role.

“I don’t know who’s going to close and who’s going to do what here,” Robertson said. “I’m just going to be expecting to take high-leverage innings whenever they call on me.”

Two other Texas pitchers have more than four career saves – Kirby Yates with 62 and Jose Leclerc with 40.

Yates got 41 of his saves in 2019, when he led the National League for the San Diego Padres. He’s trying to rebuild his career after having Tommy John surgery in 2020 and posted five saves for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.

Leclerc has 40 career saves, with four coming in the 2023 regular season. He matched that total in the postseason as the Rangers won the World Series last season.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy hasn’t decided on a closer yet.

“I think when we leave here, we’ll have a guy who’ll get most of the closing opportunities early,” Bochy said. “But they are going to enable us to keep these guys fresh because they all want to be out there. They thrive on those situations, so it’s important that they’re all used in the seventh, eighth and ninth.”

Texas won the World Series last season despite a shaky bullpen. During the regular season, the Rangers’ relievers had a 4.77 ERA and blew 33 of 63 save opportunities.

“I’m hoping that maybe I can shore up some of those holes that they had last year,” Robertson said. “Obviously, they weren’t too big because they won the World Series. It’s a good squad, great lineup, good group of guys. I’m excited to join in, and they can put me in wherever they need me to. …

“It’s going to be a tough run, but I’m hoping we can repeat again because I would like to be here and be a part of that.”

Will Smith served as Texas’ primary closer last season, when he posted 22 saves. But he left in free agency for the Kansas City Royals in December.

Robertson was available in free agency after pitching for the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins in 2023. He was 4-2 with a 2.05 earned-run average and 14 saves in 40 relief appearances for the Mets. After being acquired by the Marlins on July 27 in exchange for minor-leaguers Ronald Hernandez and Marco Vargas, the former Paul Bryant High School star posted a 2-4 record with a 5.06 ERA and four saves in 22 appearances for Miami.

Robertson joined Texas in January for a one-year, $11.5 million contract.

“Obviously, I would like to win another World Series,” Robertson said. “I’m not getting any younger. And I still think I have what it takes to pitch in high leverage and be in the back end, so I’m looking for a spot to land where I have a chance to get into the postseason and go deep. This is a squad that can do that, and I’m hoping I can help out.”

Robertson has pitched in 42 postseason games. Six have come in the World Series. The New York Yankees won the World Series in 2009 in Robertson’s second MLB season. Thirteen years later, Robertson returned to the World Series, but the Philadelphia Phillies lost the 2022 Fall Classic in six games to the Houston Astros.

Robertson has rebounded after an arm injury kept him from pitching in the big leagues between April 14, 2019, to Sept. 1, 2021. He has pitched in 793 games and has a 63-42 record with a 2.90 ERA. Robertson was an American League All-Star in 2011.

Robertson has not pitched in Texas’ first four games since the Rangers opened spring training in Surprise, Arizona.

The Rangers continue their Cactus League schedule against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:10 p.m. CST Tuesday in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.