McCaffery: Klentak made Phils better at trade deadline
In desperate need of pitching, Phillies’ main deadline get is a pretty good hitter
PHILADELPHIA >> The final score is in on the investment the Phillies made this season on David Robertson. For $10 million, he provided 6.2 innings, no wins and two months of unfounded hopes.
Not unexpectedly, given recent murmurs from the general manager, Robertson made it official Wednesday that he requires elbow surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
“I suffered a setback since the last time I had the initial flexor strain injury,” Robertson said prior to a 5-1 Phillies loss to the San Francisco Giants. “At this point, I’ve been re-examined and re-imaged and it’s worsened. So I’ve kind of got a lot of concern about it, and I think the only way to have my elbow fixed, to be able to get back on this playing field, is to surgically have it repaired. And there is some concern not only about my flexor tendon but my UCL (ulnar collateral ligament). So it’s been a tough two days for me.
“Personally, I am pretty frustrated with myself and pretty disappointed because I really wanted to step in and be on this team and help make a difference, but it just hasn’t worked out for me.”
Robertson, 34, is a 12th-year veteran who had only marginal injury troubles in previous seasons with the Yankees and White Sox. But shortly after signing a Phillies contract guaranteeing him $23 million for at least two years, Robertson struggled out of the bullpen, then reported elbow soreness. He has been on the injured list since April 15.
In the interim, the Phillies have re-imagined their bullpen, having long ago seemed aware that any return of Robertson would be a longshot.
“I tried my best to come back,” Robertson said. “I took the six-week period off. No throwing. I took four weeks to build back up and get to the point where I was at, and just kind of plateaued and wasn’t able to get over it, and was having trouble throwing. I’d throw 15 pitches at full speed, 15 or 20 pitches, and it would take me four or five days to recover from it to even be able to do it again. And I’ve never had an injury like this before.
“I didn’t know if it was tendinitis or something that I just needed to push through and work through, and I’ve been trying my best to do that and it just hasn’t happened for me. If anything, I’ve made it worse. So I’m kind of at that point.”
Robertson said he would seek a second opinion, but is convinced he will require an operation. Tommy John surgery remains an option.
“I’m not a surgeon,” he said. “I can only tell them what I’m feeling and they can see what the images are. And ultimately, when they get in there, they’ll be able to tell me what’s wrong and fix whatever is wrong.”
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Upon acquiring Corey Dickerson from Pittsburgh for international signing money and a player to be named later, the Phils cleared space on their 40-man roster by designating Dylan Cozens for assignment.
Once a farm-system sensation for his longball ability, Cozens hit .154 with one home run in 27 scattered games with the Phillies. With the Class AAA IronPigs this season, he hit .197 in 23 games, broke his foot and was declared out for the season.
Within seven days, the Phillies must waive, trade or release Cozens, or return him to the 40-man roster.
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Vince Velasquez, often challenged to provide lengthy starts, lasted only five innings Wednesday before allowing a two-run Buster Posey home run in the sixth and departing. He said he was not fatigued.
“I just fell behind in the count, and that’s what led to the home run,” he said. “I made a good pitch. But that’s where you have to take your hat off to one of the good hitters.”
Velasquez was replaced by Adam Morgan, who immediately surrendered a home run to Pablo Sandoval on an 0-1 pitch. Two hitters later, Kevin Pillar touched Morgan for the Giants’ third home run of the inning.
••• According to Kapler, Hector Neris is ready to drop the appeal of the three-game suspension he received for plunking the Dodgers’ David Freese July 16,
That would explain why Neris was in the eighth inning and a non-save situation Wednesday. •••
After trading for Jason Vargas Monday, Matt Klentak was unable to add another starting pitcher at the deadline. With that, the rotation effectively stands as Aaron Nola, Vargas, Jake Arrieta, Drew Smyly and Vince Velasquez.
“We definitely made some adjustments,” the general manager said of his recent rotation improvements. “Smyly and Vargas are
40 percent of the rotation right here. That has shifted (Nick) Pivetta and now (Zach) Eflin into the bullpen, so there’s a ripple effect to adding to the rotation. It makes our bullpen stronger and deeper.
“I’ve been encouraged by some of the things we’ve seen from our rotation recently. I’ve been encouraged by what we’ve seen from Pivetta out of the pen. His stuff is playing up in that pen role. I think with the depth we have now more so than we had a week ago or a couple of weeks ago, I think that lends itself to perhaps some more creative pitching moves.”
Arrieta (8-8, 4.51 ERA) will start in the series finale at 1:05 Thursday afternoon
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On the injured list since July 17 with a strained oblique, Jay Bruce is nearing a return.
“I think Bruce is probably at some point at the end of the first week in August,” Kapler said. “But at the same time it could stretch a little further than that. I think Jay is really going to drive that and we’re going to respect his timeline.”