It was announced Sunday that the Philadelphia Phillies had signed veteran reliever David Robertson. This will be the 40-year-old’s third stint with the team. His presence will certainly help the team’s lackluster bullpen scene, but he can’t be their only addition if they hope to contend for a championship.
Robertson signed a prorated contract worth $16 million. The deal will pay him $5 million for the rest of the season. He recently threw for teams, and he looked quite good. The Phillies ended up taking a risk on the veteran, who will aim to improve their bullpen, which has struggled significantly.
Robertson has previously played in Philadelphia on two different occasions. He is just the third player to have three stints with the Phillies. A familiar face for fans who were last seen wearing the red pinstripes in the 2022 World Series. He made an impact that season after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs for then-prospect Ben Brown. Robertson ended up closing out game one of the World Series against the Houston Astros.
Robertson will look to fill Jose Alvarado’s role in the playoffs, as Alvarado is ineligible to participate due to his PED suspension. He will join Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering as the late-inning guys in the bullpen.
Jordan Romano was expected to be a high-leverage right-handed reliever next to Kerkering when he signed this offseason. He has struggled severely, and his inconsistencies are what made the Phillies so desperate in search of bullpen help.
He is a fantastic low-risk, high-reward addition to the bullpen, but he can’t be the only reliever acquired. The playoffs test bullpens to their fullest extent, and the Phillies have learned that over the previous couple of years.
Emmanuel Clase is the dream scenario here for Philadelphia, but Cleveland seems unlikely to sell him. Many elite-level relievers have been rumored to be traded at the deadline, and the Phillies have been linked to many of them. The Pittsburgh Pirates have multiple trade candidates, including David Bednar and Dennis Santana. Philadelphia has been linked to the Minnesota Twins surrounding Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.
All of the relievers listed have one thing in common. They are all high-power guys that would bring a fantastic element to the back end of any bullpen. Having four or five relievers that can pitch in the ninth inning whenever needed is massive in the postseason. The Phillies have long struggled with their bullpen, but Robertson and an additional trade for a closer will hopefully help.
Robertson signing with Philadelphia is a great move by Dave Dombrowski. The bullpen has struggled, and he added a high-leverage guy without having to give up any prospects. With that being said, this cannot be their only addition.
The Phillies will need to be aggressive at the trade deadline. Dombrowski has taken a very passive approach at recent deadlines, but reports indicate he is much more open to making a big splash this year. Adding an elite closer to the bullpen, along with Robertson, will fill the bullpen with up to four high-leverage relievers. It would turn what was a bad bullpen into one of the best in the league.
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