The Phillies finally landed the high-leverage arm they had sought this offseason, signing right-handed relief pitcher David Robertson to a two-year deal Thursday.
Robertson, who will turn 34 in April, had a 3.23 ERA last season in 69 games with the Yankees and struck out 11.8 batters per nine innings. The ever-consistent Robertson has pitched 60 or more innings in each of the last nine seasons and has never registered a strikeout rate lower than 10.4. His career strikeout rate, 11.97, is the best among pitchers with at least 600 innings pitched.
Robertson was an All-Star in 2011 and has spent his entire 11-year career in the American League.
He has experience as a closer, but most of his work last season came in the seventh and eighth innings. The Phillies expect to use him as their top right-handed option for key outs in any of the late innings. Manager Gabe Kapler doesn't want a traditional closer in his bullpen, and Robertson's ability to pitch in various late-inning situations was an attraction.
Robertson, who represented himself this winter after parting ways with his agent, will earn $10 million in 2019 and $11 million in 2020. The Phillies can exercise a $12 million club option for 2021.
Adding Robertson could motivate the Phillies to part with Tommy Hunter or Pat Neshek, because the Phillies might have too many right-handed options for the late innings. Hunter and Neshek are each in the final year of affordable contracts, which could make a trade possible.
The Phillies aimed to add a left-handed reliever this offseason but stressed that they would not add a left-hander just for the sake of it. They have four left-handed relievers on their 40-man roster after adding James Pazos from Seattle in December. The Phillies could begin spring training with that group and likely begin the season with two lefthanders in their bullpen.
Robertson handled himself just fine against left-handed hitters as he held them to a .176 batting average and .240 on-base percentage over 132 plate appearances last season. Both those marks ranked in the top eight among pitchers who faced at least 130 left-handers.
The Phillies shifted their pitching focus to the bullpen after missing out early in the offseason on starter Patrick Corbin. They tried earlier this winter to land Andrew Miller before he signed last month with the Cardinals, and they nearly had Seattle include Edwin Diaz in their trade last month.
The Phillies have been linked to free agents Zach Britton and Craig Kimbrel. They have been after a left-handed option, but Britton seems to be too pricey for the Phillies and it would be unlikely for them to add another right-hander in Kimbrel.
The price for starting pitching skyrocketed after Corbin signed with Washington. So the Phillies instead opted to bulk up their bullpen. It took some time, but the Phillies finally found their piece.
