Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen target reportedly has extremely high asking price

The Philadelphia Phillies were in the market for bullpen help even before closer Jose Alvarado received an 80-game suspension. With an even bigger void now on the roster, one of the team’s top targets might have to be taken out of consideration due to the asking price.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Phillies’ target David Robertson told teams this winter he wanted a one-year deal worth $15 million in order to sign. Even now, the All-Star reliever has no intention of playing unless he receives an extremely strong offer.

David Robertson stats (ESPN): 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 99-27 K-BB, .202 batting average allowed, .571 OPS allowed in 72 innings pitched last season

Robertson, who turned 40 in April, was outstanding last season for the Texas Rangers. He continued to pitch well into his late 30s, compiling a 2.82 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and just a 6.5 H/9 across 201 innings pitched from 2022-’24.

The Phillies are plenty familiar with his reliability on the mound, demonstrated by his career 3.30 ERA in 30 career innings with Philadelphia and the team needs to strengthen its bullpen. Entering MLB games today, Philadelphia ranks 21st in bullpen ERA (4.54).

Philadelphia Phillies bullpen stats (FanGraphs): 4.54 ERA (21st in MLB), 1.36 WHIP (19th in MLB), .252 batting average allowed (22nd in MLB)

Alvarado’s suspension also makes him ineligible for the postseason, which makes the team’s need for quality relievers even more dire. Robertson has experience as a closer, 177 career saves, and could prove to be a superior option over Jordan Romano (8.05 ERA and 1.53 WHIP). However, given the veteran’s contract demands, a deal appears unlikely right now.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen target reportedly has extremely high asking price

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