PHILADELPHIA— The first move of the trade deadline is a signing, not a trade, for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Per Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies have signed veteran right-handed reliever David Robertson to a contract for the remainder of the 2025 season. Robertson has not pitched in the big leagues this season and was last with the Texas Rangers in 2024. Last season, he pitched to a 3.00 earned run average in 68 appearances for Texas.
Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the team will pay a prorated $16 million contract for the remainder of the season. That shakes out to roughly $6 million for the expected time with the team.
David Robertson joins the Phillies
Robertson will instantly join the back end of the Phillies bullpen, leapfrogging Jordan Romano at this juncture of the season. It might take him a few outings to build up his arm strength, but this move does mean the Phillies can save some of their firepower for a bigger deadline move.
The veteran debuted in 2008 with the New York Yankees and was the set-up man for Mariano Rivera in his early days. After Rivera’s retirement, Robertson became the closer for New York. He first joined the Phillies in 2019, where he only pitched in 7 games before missing the remainder of the season with injury.
The Phillies traded for him in 2022, dealing Ben Brown to the Chicago Cubs. Brown has pitched against the club twice this season, showing how deals from years’ past still have an impact on a team years later. As mentioned, his first appearance will mark his third time as a member of the organization. Robertson had options and likely picked the Phillies due to their history, contending status, and he might have a chance to close.
More details to come.
