NEW YORK — Accustomed to entering in the ninth inning, David Robertson heard the bullpen phone ring in the fourth and knew he might be replacing CC Sabathia.
An accomplished closer with 132 saves, Robertson relieved in the fifth and pitched a career-long 2 2/3 innings that helped the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 on Monday night in the start of a series moved from Florida to Citi Field because of Hurricane Irma.
"I don't care when I pitch," said the 32-year-old right-hander, reacquired by the Yankees from the Chicago White Sox in July.