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. Seven appearances into that season, Robertson suffered an arm damage that required Tommy John surgical procedure, and he didn’t throw one other pitch in a Phillies uniform.
Robertson will get one other probability to be what the Phillies wanted after the Cubs traded him Tuesday to the Phillies for pitching prospect Ben Brown.
Brown, 22, was lately promoted to the Phillies’ Double-A affiliate after recording a 3.08 ERA in 16 video games (15 begins) at High A Jersey Shore. Baseball America’s midseason rankings had him seventh within the Phillies system.
Robertson wasn’t the one Cubs reliever on the transfer Tuesday. Veteran right-hander Mychal Givens was dealt to the New York Mets minutes earlier than the 5 p.m. deadline.
Givens, 32, posted a 2.66 ERA and two saves in 40 appearances for the Cubs, who within the offseason focused veteran arms to bolster the pitching workers and presumably create trade-deadline leverage.
Givens hasn’t allowed an earned run since June 14, a stretch of 16 video games (17⅓ innings). In that span, hitters are batting .186 with solely two extra-base hits in opposition to Givens.
Robertson sounded excited a couple of potential reunion with the Phillies when speaking to the Tribune final month concerning the chance.
“I know a lot of people there; it would be great,” he 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 wager on himself paid off.
After the surgical procedure price him two seasons, the 37-year-old regained his type this yr. 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, needed to search out the best 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 would look again on his 4 months with the Cubs if he was 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 recreation when supervisor David Ross let him pinch hit in opposition to the Pirates on June 22 in Pittsburgh. Robertson struck out swinging on a full-count pitch from Pirates infielder Diego Castillo.
Ross averted publicly naming a more in-depth getting into the season, nevertheless it rapidly turned clear that Robertson was the veteran the supervisor needed within the position. Robertson transformed 14 of 19 save alternatives, his most since 2017.
His 33 postseason aid appearances made him a precious commodity resulting in the commerce deadline. Robertson owns a 3.11 ERA and 1.062 WHIP in 37⅔ postseason innings, which features a World Series title in 2009 with the New York Yankees.
The departures of Robertson and Givens probably create extra high-leverage and save conditions for Rowan Wick.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com