Phillies, in need of bullpen help after José Alvarado's suspension, reach out to David Robertson, per report

Alvarado will miss 80 games and the entire postseason after failing his drug test

Thanks to Monday night's come-from-behind win over the rudderless Rockies (PHI 9, COL 3), the Philadelphia Phillies have moved into first place in the NL East, and have the National League's best record at 29-18. They are 16-5 in their last 21 games. The Phillies were expected to be one of the game's top teams this year and they are exactly that.

Philadelphia was dealt a significant blow over the weekend when ace reliever José Alvarado was hit with an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension. He claims it was a weight less drug, though the reason is irrelevant now. Alvarado will miss 80 games and, more importantly, he is ineligible to pitch in the postseason. The Phillies won't have their top reliever in October.

"It's disappointing for sure," Phillies POBO Dave Dombrowski said after Alvarado's suspension was announced Sunday (via MLB.com). "There's no question about that. We've had other issues come up at various times. I end up treating it like an injury because you need to replace somebody for 80 games and then hopefully into the postseason."

The Phillies rank 21st in bullpen ERA (4.48 ERA) and 19th in bullpen win probability added (plus-0.48), and that is with Alvarado for all but the last two games. The bullpen was likely to be a priority at the trade deadline. Dombrowski & Co. will now have to focus those efforts a little more. Philadelphia's postseason bullpen will need more help with Alvarado unavailable.

We've already looked at nine potential reliever trade candidates the Phillies could pursue, though it is only mid-May, and the trade market usually doesn't begin to heat up until late June or July. It is no surprise then that the Phillies have begun to scour the free-agent market. That includes reaching out to unsigned righty David Robertson, according to MLB.com:

Prior to the announcement of Alvarado's suspension, a source said the Phillies reached out to free agent David Robertson, easily the best reliever left on the open market. No serious talks took place, the source said, but it wouldn't be a surprise if the Phillies considered a reunion with the 40-year-old, who has had two previous stints in Philadelphia.

Robertson pitched for the Phillies before Tommy John surgery in 2019 and again after coming over from the Cubs at the deadline in 2022. He spent last year with the Rangers and was terrific: 3.00 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 72 innings. Robertson is as good against lefties as righties, he's big-market battle-tested, and he can fill almost any role. He can help any contender's bullpen.

Last month, USA Today reported that Robertson set a $10 million asking price over the winter, which is the going rate for a veteran end-game reliever. Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen signed one-year deals in that range this past winter. No team met Robertson's asking price though, so he remains unsigned. It's unknown whether he's willing to take less now to join a team midseason.

It's possible Robertson is being picky about his destination too. At this point in his career, he might only want to join a clear-cut World Series contender rather than hook on with a team on the postseason bubble. The Phillies are a World Series contender, he has a history with the organization, and also with manager Rob Thomson from their days with the Yankees. Perhaps they're a fit.

Signing a veteran pitcher in-season is hardly uncommon. The Royals signed Rich Hill earlier this month and the Blue Jays added Spencer Turnbull in April. The Guardians signed Matthew Boyd last June 29 and he was in their postseason rotation. The Phillies could sign Robertson, give him a few weeks into the minors to prepare, then have him for most of the season and October.

For now, there were "no serious talks" between the Phillies and Robertson, though the team did reach out, so they have begun to look for reinforcements for their Alvarado-less bullpen. The team is working to sign relievers to minor-league contracts and could have something done later this week, according to the Athletic. Those would be band-aids though, not difference-making additions.

Losing Alvarado is a major blow, especially for the postseason. The only silver lining is that the suspension came fairly early in the season. The Phillies have plenty of time to reinforce their bullpen for the stretch run and October. Maybe it's Robertson, maybe they hit on a few minor-league deals, maybe it's someone else entirely. Either way, the bullpen is now the No. 1 priority for Philadelphia.