Prior to trading for one of the most coveted available closers at the trade deadline in Jhoan Duran, the Philadelphia Phillies inked veteran reliever David Robertson in late July to a one-year deal to help boost a subpar bullpen.
Robertson is 40 years old and has had two previous stints with the Phillies in 2019 and 2022. The right-hander had not thrown a pitch from a big-league mound since Sept. 29 of last season, but Dave Dombrowski and the club's front office felt it was worth taking a shot on him given the state of the relief pitching at the time and the reliever's track record.
Early on, it appears that the decision to bring Robertson back is paying off.
Phillies' gamble on David Robertson paying off so far
After signing, Robertson was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to get back in game shape and build up his arm strength. He was finally called up on Aug. 10 and has since appeared in four games for the Phillies.
In the small sample size of outings, the veteran has tossed four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, one walk and has struck out six hitters.
As expected, due to age and lack of time pitching this year, Robertson's average velocity is a bit lower than usual, per Baseball Savant. His cutter averaged 93.3 mph in 2023 and 2024, whereas it's sitting around 91.4 mph so far this season.
Despite the expected decrease in velocity, Robertson's slider has been impressive. The breaking ball has generated a 33.3 percent whiff rate compared to 23.8 percent a season ago.
Overall his Statcast numbers are solid. He has a .189 xBA and a 37.5 percent strikeout rate. The right-hander's average exit velocity is just 83.3 mph to go along with a 11.1 percent hard-hit rate.
To begin his third stint with the team, the 40-year-old is not allowing opposing hitters to make much hard contact which bodes well with the drop in his pitch speeds.
Robertson helping to reshape Phillies' bullpen at the right time
With the acquisition of Duran and the activation of José Alvarado from his suspension, Robertson does not need to be the guy in the Phillies' improved bullpen. He needs to get outs and that is what he has been doing.
Manager Rob Thomson was happy with the signing of the 17-year veteran. According to Bob Cooney of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the skipper believes that Robertson brings more to the table than just talent.
"He’s a calming influence, he’s been through it before, World Series, playoff runs," Thomson said, per Cooney. "I think he’s a good guy for the younger guys to kind of lean on and learn from.”
Will Robertson continue to pitch well out of the bullpen? That remains to be seen, but his veteran presence can be useful in big spots. He has postseason experience and can be a fresh, valuable arm for the club down the stretch.
The backend of the bullpen is taking shape just in time as September and October creep ever closer. Duran, Orion Kerkering and Alvarado all bring plus-stuff in high-leverage spots. Robertson is savvy and knows how to pitch with what he has.
If all four can stay healthy, the Phillies could have a formidable quartet to use to shut down teams during a crucial time of the season as the postseason looms.