David Robertson has missed nearly all of the 2019 season. (Ian D’Andrea)
Monday, Philadelphia Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said in regards to reliever David Robertson’s rehab “With each day, it’s becoming less and less encouraging.” Little did he know – or perhaps he knew exactly – how prophetic those words would prove to be.
The Phillies announced to the collective media Wednesday, which included Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic, that Robertson is out for the season, as he’ll need surgery to repair his flexor tendon, the same surgery that ended Tommy Hunter’s season earlier this month. What’s worse is that there’s some fear that the 34-year-old may need Tommy John Surgery, which would put his entire 2020 season into jeopardy.
If Robertson were to have Tommy John Surgery, it would turn the two-year/$23 million signing of the veteran reliever in January into one of the worst free-agent contracts in franchise history. That, of course, wouldn’t be the fault of Robertson – or even the Phillies really. There’s a case to be made that Robertson has been the most dependable reliever in baseball over the past decade, there was no indication that he would struggle this much physically.
Robertson has made just seven appearances in 2019, and has a 5.40 ERA to show for said appearances. Most notably, Robertson walked in the winning run in a 9-8 loss to the Washington Nationals on April 3, leading to him saying he had “been sucking out there.”
Robertson and the aforementioned Hunter are just two names in a Phillies bullpen has been decimated by injuries in 2019. Pat Neshek is currently on the injured list for the second time this season, this time with a left hamstring injury. Victor Arano, one of the team’s best relievers in 2018, had his elbow scoped in late May, and there’s no indication he’ll return this season. Seranthony Dominguez is also on the 60-day injured list with an elbow injury having sidelined him since June 5. Edubray Ramos is on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder injury as well.
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