PHILADELPHIA — David Robertson was willing to wait until “the itch” came back.
At age 40 and coming off a season with the Texas Rangers that showed he can still get major league hitters out, Robertson was content to wait in 2025.
He opted out of a second year in Texas, passed on interest last winter and kept in contact with teams through the spring while being a dad: playing tennis, enjoying dinners at home, manning pickup and drop-off duty at school.
As spring turned to summer, Robertson felt the pull back to the diamond. And when it became clear he’d have his pick of destinations, he followed the pull of the past to Philadelphia.
“I’m good at doing it, and I want to keep doing it,” Robertson said from the dugout at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, the day the Phillies announced they’d signed him for the rest of the season. “I just can’t stop. I want to keep going to till I can’t throw a baseball anymore. But the league hasn’t told me yet that I’m not good enough to play anymore, and I haven’t been told to go home. So if I’ve got the opportunity to step in between the lines and give it everything I’ve got again, I’m going to fulfill that itch and try to win some ballgames and help us out.”
Robertson will soon begin his 17th MLB season and his third stint with the Phillies, a deal that will pay him $6 million for the rest of the season, a pro-rated $15.7 million for the season. He agreed to be optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to ramp up his return. He’ll have 15 days there and will likely throw a bullpen this week.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski likened Robertson to a pitcher on March 10 or so, that is three to four outings away from being ready for the season. Robertson will need three to five games in the minors, and he’d like to get the experience of a back-to-back against live hitters.
If all goes well, the Phillies will have added a capable, high-leverage right-hander without having to expend any prospect capital on the trade market.
“When we talked to (owner) John Middleton, he said, ‘Well, the difference is, it’s cash. Let’s go ahead and spend the cash and get that done, rather than moving some of our prospects for somebody,’ ” Dombrowski said. “Not that we won’t do that somewhere down the road, but it’s a situation that we get somebody that we like that we think can help us a great deal.”
Robertson said the choice of the Phillies was like coming home. He signed a two-year deal with the Phillies in 2019, though he only appeared in seven games before Tommy John surgery cost him the rest of that season and 2020.
The Phillies acquired him at the trade deadline in 2022 from the Chicago Cubs, Robertson saving six games in 22 regular-season games with a 2.70 ERA, then pitching in eight postseason games, including a save in Game 1 of the World Series in Houston.
“I fielded enough offers that I had to make a decision quickly to come back to Philly,” he said. “It worked out. This place feels like home to me. We had a great run in ’22. It’s a good squad, good opportunity for me, good bullpen to mix into, great starting staff. Hoping that I can bridge the gap late in games later, and we can win some ballgames and get back into the postseason.”
Robertson is, per the Phillies, just the third player to have a third stint with the club, the last being Hall of Famer Chuck Klein. The third, Bill Hallman, started with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1888.
Robertson was good last year for the Rangers, with a 3-4 record and 3.00 ERA in 72 innings over 68 appearances. The innings figure is his highest in a season in a career that has included a world title in 2009, an All-Star nod in 2011 and stints with eight teams.
Robertson’s familiarity with manager Rob Thomson, who was on the staff of the Yankees when Robertson debuted in 2008, and the rest of the Phillies’ clubhouse should ease the adjustment.
“He came in today, and it was like he hadn’t missed any time,” Thomson said. “That’s just who he is. He’s a really good person, a really good teammate. I’m just really happy he’s here. He’s in great shape.”
The Phillies’ bullpen needs some help.
The team didn’t retain either of its highest-leverage righties from last year in Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman, both of whom struggled in the playoff series against the Mets. They replaced them with Jordan Romano, whose ERA remains near 7. Though the bullpen has logged the fewest innings in the major leagues this season, it ranks just 23rd in ERA (4.33) and 17th in wins above replacement (2.1).
Robertson provides experience and another ninth-inning option who can get right- and left-handed hitters out. Righties have slashed .222/.305/.362 against him in his career, while lefties are at .187/.271/.279.
There’s no question as to his desire to be here.
“I know all the staff here,” Robertson said. “I’ve been here before. I’ve had a great run here. Third time’s the charm. This is the place I want to be.”
Source: Berkshire mont