May's second half is underway, bringing some unwanted news to the Philadelphia Phillies. On Sunday, the MLB announced that Phillies closer Jose Alvarado has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, also making him ineligible for the 2025 playoffs.
Alvarado has easily been the Phillies' best reliever, so it goes without saying that his presence on the mound will be missed. As the club prepares to progress through May (and the next two months) without their top relief arm, one of Philadelphia's former relievers is still looking for work before summer begins.
Former Phillies RHP David Robertson Still Can't Find a Job in May
Veteran right-handed reliever David Robertson is one of a handful of ex-Phillies still unemployed two months into the 2025 MLB season. Despite boasting a 66-46 record and 2.91 ERA across 861 relief appearances, the 40-year-old veteran doesn't seem to be drawing much attention at this stage of his career.
Robertson is the definition of a journeyman arm, having pitched for eight franchises throughout his 16-year career. Although he's most known for his time with the New York Yankees, the Birmingham, AL native played two stints with the Phillies, with the most recent of the pair happening in 2022.
Robertson first joined the Phillies when he signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the organization during the 2019 offseason. Unfortunately, he only went 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in seven relief outings before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. He couldn't heal quickly enough to get back on the mound for the following season, resulting in the Phillies declining his club option.
Despite the unfortunate end to his stint, Robertson didn't stay away from the City of Brotherly Love for long. The former MLB All-Star was shipped back to Philadelphia by the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, leading to fellow RHP Ben Brown being sent to the Windy City in return.
Robertson ended up playing well in his return, pitching to a 2.70 ERA with 30 strikeouts and six saves across 23 1/13 innings in 22 appearances. He also made eight appearances across Philadelphia's run to the 2022 World Series, standing out with a 1.17 ERA, 11 strikeouts, and a save in only 7 2/3 innings.
After splitting the 2023 campaign between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins, Robertson spent 2024 with the Texas Rangers, going 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 68 outings. Even though that performance was fairly solid, the fact that he's 40 years old probably has teams doubting that he can replicate those results.
Based on how his job search is unfolding, the former Phillies hurler will likely remain unemployed until a pitcher-needy team is desperate enough to put pen to paper.