Phillies sign righty David Robertson to 1-year deal in bid to win 2nd straight NL East title

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have signed right-hander David Robertson to a $15.7 million, one-year contract, prorated to $6 million through the end of the regular season, to bolster their bullpen in a bid to outlast the New York Mets and win a second straight NL East title.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced the move Monday, optioning the 40-year-old reliever to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Robertson has a $15,718,310 listed salary, which is prorated over the final 71 days of the 186-day season starting Sunday.

Robertson also figures to cost the Phillies an additional $6.6 million in luxury tax, raising his total price to $12.6 million. Philadelphia started the season with a projected luxury tax payroll of $306 million, fourth-highest behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets and Yankees.

The Phillies watched Robertson work out twice in the last two weeks, the last time on Saturday. Robertson said he fielded interest last winter and through the spring but waited for the summer to build himself up.

“I fielded enough offers that I had to make a decision quickly to come back to Philly,” Robertson said Monday before the Phillies began a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox. “It worked out. This place feels like home to me.”

The club plans on four or five minor league appearances before Robertson can join the Phillies.

“He came in today, and it was like he hadn’t missed any time,” manager Rob Thomson said. “That’s just who he is. He’s a really good person, a really good teammate.”

Robertson was a key pitcher for the New York Yankees when they won the 2009 World Series and was an All-Star two years later with the franchise. He helped the Phillies reach the 2022 World Series, going 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in eight postseason games, and also played for them in 2019.

“We had a great run in ’22,” Robertson said. “It’s a good squad, a good opportunity for me, good bullpen to mix in into, great starting staff. Hoping that I can bridge the gap there late in games and we can win some ball games and get back into the postseason.”

Robertson was 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 68 games — two shy of his career high — and had two saves last season in Texas. He declined a $7 million mutual option, triggering a $1.5 million buyout and making him a free agent.

He is 66-46 with a 2.91 ERA with 177 saves and 1,154 strikeouts, ranking 11th all time among relievers. The Yankees drafted the former Alabama player 17th overall in 2016 and he also pitched for the Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Miami and the Rangers.

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The Phillies and Mets are in a closely contested race for first in the NL East with 60-plus games remaining in the regular season.

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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb