David Robertson's Debut Date for Phillies Revealed After $16 Million Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jon Conahan | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 11:30 AM ET

It's tough to say that the Philadelphia Phillies made the perfect decision when they went out and signed David Robertson on Sunday night.

However, there's a reason why many contenders around the league were interested in the veteran's service.

Robertson has already pitched in Philadelphia throughout his career and was staying ready during the early stages of the year. It's unfortunate that he didn't latch onto a team until the end of July, but it isn't anything that the Phillies can be too worried about.

Ultimately, they saw his workout up in the Northeast, and they liked what they saw.

He's taken the deal, and the expectation is for him to join the big league roster sooner rather than later.

According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Robertson is expected to join the Phillies on August 5, which is the earliest possible date.

“David Robertson expects to pitch for Triple-A this week. The earliest he can join the Phillies is Aug. 5, which is the expectation,” he wrote.

Throughout his career, Robertson has been utilized in high-leverage situations, particularly for the New York Yankees.

He pitched with the Phillies during the 2019 and 2022 campaigns, posting a 2.70 ERA in 22 outings in 2022.

During the 2024 campaign for the Texas Rangers, he posted a 3.00 ERA.

For how cheap the Phillies got him for, even if he's used as strictly a setup man throughout the later stages of the campaign, he’ll give the Phillies some much-needed depth as they head into the postseason.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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