Dodgers Reunite with RHP Nick Robertson on Minor League Deal, Bolstering Pitching Depth
The Dodgers made headlines this offseason with their headline-grabbing $240 million deal for Kyle Tucker, but while the spotlight's been on the big names, L.A. has also been quietly reinforcing the foundation. One of those under-the-radar moves? A reunion with right-handed pitcher Nick Robertson, who’s back in Dodger blue on a minor league deal.
Robertson’s name might ring a bell for Dodgers fans. He was originally drafted by the team back in 2019 and made a brief appearance in the majors with L.A., logging nine outings before being shipped to Boston in the trade that brought Kiké Hernández back to Chavez Ravine. It was a short stint in Beantown too-just nine games-before the Red Sox flipped him to the Cardinals as part of the Tyler O’Neill deal.
Since then, Robertson’s journey has been the definition of a baseball odyssey. Over the past two years, he’s bounced around the league via waiver claims, with stops in Anaheim, Toronto, and Houston.
He only saw big-league action once with the Blue Jays, and while he was on the roster for the Angels and Astros, he never made it back to the show with either club. Houston released him in August, and he finished the year on a minor league deal with the Royals.
Now, he’s back where it all started.
At 25, Robertson is still a bit of a project, but there’s enough in the profile to warrant another look. Over 35.2 big league innings, he’s put up a 5.30 ERA-not exactly eye-popping-but the underlying numbers suggest there’s something to work with. He’s shown a solid strikeout rate and decent command, even if the results haven’t quite followed.
Across parts of four seasons at Triple-A, Robertson has posted a 4.46 ERA with a strikeout rate of 26.2%. That’s a respectable figure, especially when paired with a fastball that averaged 93.4 mph last season-down a tick from his earlier days in the Dodgers system, but still serviceable when paired with his slider and changeup.
The walk rate, sitting at 11.3%, is something the Dodgers will want to help him tighten up. But this is a team known for getting the most out of its arms, and Robertson’s familiarity with the organization could help him settle in and rediscover some of the form that made him a promising bullpen piece in the first place.
This move won’t dominate the headlines like the Tucker signing, but it’s the kind of depth play that contenders make for a reason. If Robertson can find consistency, he could be a valuable option out of the bullpen-either as an injury fill-in or a late-season call-up. For now, he’ll head to spring training looking to reestablish himself and prove there’s still untapped potential in that right arm.
In a winter full of blockbuster moves, this one’s more subtle-but don’t be surprised if it pays dividends down the line.