David Robertson has been ramping up with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. (Cheryl Pursell)
Right-handed pitcher David Robertson is potentially days away from making his Phillies debut... again.
Manager Rob Thomson told the media Friday in Arlington that pitching in back-to-back games – which he did on Wednesday and Thursday – was the last item on Robertson's list, and that if Robertson feels good, he will be activated on Sunday.
Pitching back-to-back days was the final box that David Robertson needed to check. If he feels good, he will be activated on Sunday.
Robertson, 40, debuted in 2008 and has 16 major league seasons under his belt. His two previous stints with the Phillies came in 2019 (although he only pitched in seven games before getting hurt) and in 2022, when the Phillies picked him up at the deadline and he pitched four scoreless innings in the World Series.
Robertson spent the majority of this season as a free agent before the Phillies signed him on July 21 to a prorated $16 million contract for the remainder of this season. He was immediately optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he has spent the past two and a half weeks rebuilding his arm strength.
Initially, Robertson told media he would need three or four appearances in the minors before he faced big-league competition; however, in six appearances with the IronPigs, he has a 10.13 ERA.
That obviously isn't ideal, but Robertson's fastball – which sat at around 88-90 mph before the Phillies signed him – topped out at 94 mph in Wednesday's game. That's likely what the Phillies are looking at.
Thursday, Robertson struck out Spencer Jones, the Yankees' top prospect and Robertson's only batter faced:
David Robertson, working back to back days for the first time, comes into the middle of an inning and strikes out Spencer Jones to end the frame pic.twitter.com/u8XX79FljO
If Robertson does indeed rejoin the Phillies on Sunday, he will face his club from last year. Robertson spent 2024 with the Texas Rangers and posted a 3.00 ERA across 68 games and 72 innings of work.
So, to put it bluntly, things are about to get very interesting with the Phillies' pitching staff. Robertson will most likely join the team on Sunday. José Alvarado is eligible to return from his suspension on Aug. 19. Aaron Nola just made his second rehab start for the IronPigs.
Tanner Banks, Alan Rangel and Max Lazar all have options remaining, and then there's always players who are candidates to be DFA'd.
Either way, the room is about to get very crowded, and someone (well, multiple someones) will have to go.
