David Robertson is getting one other alternative with the Philadelphia Phillies.
He by no means had an opportunity to be the kind of high-leverage reliever he anticipated to be when signing a two-year, $23 million contract earlier than the 2019 season. And then, simply seven appearances into the season, Robertson suffered an arm damage that ultimately required Tommy John surgical procedure. Robertson didn’t throw one other pitch in a Phillies uniform.
Robertson will get one other likelihood to be what the Phillies wanted.
The Cubs on Tuesday traded Robertson to the Phillies for pitching prospect Ben Brown.
Brown, 22, was just lately promoted to the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate after recording a 3.08 ERA in 16 video games (15 begins) at High A. Baseball America’s midseason rankings put him seventh within the Phillies system.
Robertson sounded excited a couple of potential reunion with the Phillies when speaking to the Tribune final month concerning the risk.
“I know a lot of people there, it would be great,” Robertson stated. “It’d be nice to pitch there after being so excited to go there. My body just let me down. It was a great spot for that contract. I was like, “This is perfect. I’m going to get to maybe be the ninth inning guy, eighth inning, high leverage,’ and then my elbow blew out. It was frustrating.”
Robertson’s guess on himself has paid off.
After the surgical procedure value him two seasons, the 37-year-old Robertson regained his kind this 12 months. He appeared in 12 video games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 for his first big-league motion since April 2019.
Robertson, who represented himself throughout contract talks, wished to seek out the appropriate match. It led to a one-year, $3.5 million deal, together with as much as $1.5 million in incentives, with the Cubs in March.
And now he’s on the transfer to a playoff contender.
Robertson reestablished his standing as one of many league’s finest late-inning relievers. He posted a 2.23 ERA, 1.041 WHIP, 189 ERA+ and 14 saves over 40⅓ innings in 36 appearances.
Before final week’s collection opener in San Francisco, Robertson mirrored on how he’ll look again on his 4 months with the Cubs if, as anticipated, he can be traded.
“I got another opportunity and got a deal that I thought was favorable to me and I thought it was a pretty fair shake at it to rebound back into my career,” Robertson stated. “I can’t thank the Cubs enough, and I’ll continue to play hard as long as I’m a Cub. … I’ve had a great time. Wrigley’s an unbelievable place to play baseball. It’s nice to be on the home side and not on the road side.”
He fulfilled his dream of hitting in a major-league sport when supervisor David Ross let him pinch hit in a sport towards the Pirates on June 22 in Pittsburgh. Robertson struck out swinging on a full-count pitch from Pirates infielder Diego Castillo.
Ross prevented publicly naming a better coming into the season, nevertheless it rapidly grew to become clear that Robertson was the veteran the supervisor wished within the position. Robertson transformed 14 of 19 save alternatives, his most since 2017. His 33 postseason reduction appearances made him a helpful commodity resulting in the commerce deadline. Robertson owns a profession 3.11 ERA and 1.062 WHIP in 37⅔ postseason innings, which features a World Series title in 2009 with the New York Yankees.
Robertson’s departure doubtlessly creates extra high-leverage and save conditions for Rowan Wick.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com