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The Philadelphia Phillies traded in veteran reliever David Robertson from the Chicago Cubs to close out the trade deadline. This is Robertson's second stint with Philadelphia, as he pitched there back in 2019.
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This is a huge pickup for the Philadelphia Phillies as they are currently staying afloat in the National League Wild Card race. They are currently in third place in the NL East, 10 games behind the first-placed New York Mets.
They do hold a Wild Card spot as of now, although not by much. The St. Louis Cardinals are behind them by just one game, and their position can change anytime.
The Phillies are notorious for having a poor bullpen that is known for blowing leads late in the game. They are yet to find their 'it' guy that can be trusted in the final innings. David Robertson was supposed to be this guy back in 2019 for them, but he was out most of the time due to injury.
However, David Robertson now appears to be completely different compared to his last stint in Philadelphia. In 36 games played with Chicago, Robertson has just a 2.23 ERA and 51 strikeouts in just 40 innings pitched. He also made 14 saves with the Cubs, which is very impressive considering how Chicago has fared this season.
Although the 37-year-old might be entering the twilight years of his career, he still has some elite performances left in him.
The Phillies will greatly benefit from this pickup if his second stint proves to be better than the first.
What next for the Philadelphia Phillies?
The National League East looks almost out of reach for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies had high hopes entering this season, especially after the signings of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. However, with their big stars underperforming, they were left in the dust.
The Phillies have started to heat up of late, however. This is all the more impressive when you consider that Bryce Harper has been sidelined with injury. He will be a huge addition to the squad when fit and could propel them into the postseason.
