AP (Philadelphia): In an effort to outlast the New York Mets and win the NL East for the second time in a row, the Philadelphia Phillies have strengthened their bullpen by signing right-hander David Robertson to a one-year contract.

On Monday, Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations for the Phillies, made the decision to option the 40-year-old reliever to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

 

When the New York Yankees won the 2009 World Series, Robertson was a vital pitcher for the team. Two years later, he was named an All-Star. He pitched for the Phillies in 2019 and was 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in eight postseason games to help them win the 2022 World Series. 

Last season with Texas, Robertson got two saves and went 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 68 games, two games below his career high. He became a free agent after turning down a $7 million mutual option, which led to a $1.5 million buyout.

He ranks 11th all-time among relievers with a 66-46 record, a 2.91 ERA, 177 saves, and 1,154 strikeouts. In addition to pitching for the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Miami, and Rangers, the former Alabama pitcher was selected 17th overall by the Yankees in the 2016 MLB Draft.

With more than 60 games left in the regular season, the Phillies and Mets are in a fierce battle for first place in the NL East.