As the Philadelphia Phillies wait to find out if they will land Manny Machado and/or Bryce Harper, the front office found another way to improve its roster by signing one of the top free agents on the market.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB Network, the Phillies have agreed to a two-year, $23 million deal with reliever David Robertson.
BREAKING: David Robertson has agreed to a two-year deal with the Phillies that guarantees him at least $23 million. He’ll earn $10M in 2019, $11M in 2020, with a $12M club option ($2M buyout) for 2021. He’s passed a physical and the deal is complete.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 3, 2019
Robertson excelled for the New York Yankees in 2018, serving in a variety of roles as a late-inning reliever. He recorded a 3.23 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 69.2 innings with 21 holds, eight wins and five saves.
According to the report, Robertson will receive $10 million in 2019, $11 million in 2020 and Philadelphia holds a $12 million club option for 2021. If the Phillies decline the team option, Robertson will receive $2 million for the buyout.
Robertson will likely compete with 24-year-old Seranthony Dominguez for the closer’s role during spring training, though manager Gabe Kapler could also explore a closer-by-committee approach.