Former Tigers GM swipes relief option from Detroit with free agent signing

The Detroit Tigers lost out on a potential upgrade to their bullpen as they look to make another deep postseason run this year, with veteran free agent David Robertson agreeing to a prorated one-year, $16 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Robertson, who hasn't pitched in the Major Leagues since last September, threw for interested clubs Saturday in Providence, R.I. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Tigers were among those clubs – as they should have been. Detroit headed into the All-Star break with the 10th-worst bullpen ERA in the Majors (4.13) and is in desperate need of reinforcements in that area.

Admittedly, the Tigers likely weren't going to land the 40-year-old reliever at such a steep price point, especially for only half a season (plus the playoffs). To add salt to the wound, however, the general manager that got the deal done for Robertson in Philadelphia was none other than Dave Dombrowski, who held the same position in Detroit from 2002-15.

Former Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski swipes relief option from Detroit as Phillies sign veteran free agent David Robertson

A 17th-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 2006 MLB Draft, Robertson now enters his 16th season in the big leagues. He joins the Phillies with a fresh arm after declining his end of a mutual club option with the Texas Rangers to become a free agent in 2024. Robertson is 66-46 with a 2.91 ERA and 177 saves for his career, pitching for eight different teams – including the Phillies, with whom he had already spent two separate stints in 2017 and 2022.

Robertson has struck out 1,154 batters and issued 357 walks across 876 2/3 innings in his career, but the real selling point for contending teams like the Phillies (and the Tigers) is his perfect 6-0 record with a 3.04 ERA in 42 career postseason outings with the Yankees, Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins.

Even with his hefty price tag, Robertson is a relatively low-risk, high-reward signing for any World Series contender. Unfortunately for the Tigers, another World Series contender beat them to the punch.

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