Phillies Relief Target Looking for 'Strong Offer' According to Insider

How much money is this Philadelphia Phillies target looking for?

Aug 3, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher David Robertson (37) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies know they have to do something with their bullpen.

Now without Jose Alvarado until August due to an 80-game suspension, he also won't be able to pitch in October, which is a major loss for this team.

Right now, the Phillies are piecing things together.

In search of the right combination of high-leverage guys and those who can fill out the relief staff, Philadelphia has been riding their starting rotation hard, something that is not sustainable for the remainder of the year if they keep it up at this pace.

Someone who was reportedly contacted even before the Alvarado suspension was longtime veteran David Robertson.

The fact he's still on the open market is surprising to many around Major League Baseball since he's coming off a season where he posted a 3.00 ERA and ERA+ of 131 across his 68 outings, owning a K/9 rate of 12.4 despite being 39 years old at the time.

Reuniting with the right-hander on a short-term deal seems like a route the Phillies could be interested in taking at some point, but it's all going to come down to price.

What Contract Is David Robertson Looking For?

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Robertson was seeking a one-year, $15 million deal during this past winter, and while he likely won't get that at this point in time, he also knows there are plenty of reliever-needy teams out there and won't sign with someone "unless he receives a strong offer."

No details were given when it came to exactly how much money that might be.

However, it does shine some light on why Philadelphia hasn't added Robertson at this point in time, with their payroll already being over the luxury tax threshold.

That's not to say something might not get done between the two sides at some point, but it's going to take some negotiating to land him since some other teams could come calling in the near future, too.