With just over a week until pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater, the Phillies are still fine-tuning their bullpen mix-and they’ve added another familiar face to the competition. Right-hander Daniel Robert is back in the fold, signing a minor league deal with an invite to big-league spring training.
This marks Robert’s second stint with the Phillies after being acquired from the Rangers in May of last year. He spent most of 2025 bouncing between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and the majors, and with one minor league option still in play, he’s a prime candidate for a similar up-and-down role in 2026.
Robert’s major league debut came as the 27th man during a doubleheader on May 14, when he faced one batter and struck him out. In total, he logged 13 innings across 15 relief appearances for the Phillies, posting a 4.15 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.
In Triple-A, he was more effective, putting up a 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 18 2/3 innings in 18 games for the IronPigs. The Phillies non-tendered him in November, briefly making him a free agent, but clearly saw enough to bring him back for another look.
What makes Robert interesting is his pitch mix and swing-and-miss potential. His go-to pitch is an 84 mph sweeper that generated a 34% whiff rate last season with a .197 expected batting average against. He pairs that with a 96 mph four-seamer, a 91 mph cutter, and a 95 mph sinker-giving him a full arsenal to attack hitters from multiple angles.
The upside is there. Robert struck out 15 batters in 13 big-league innings last year, good for a 25.4% strikeout rate.
But command remains the big hurdle. He also walked 10 batters in that same span, a 16.9% walk rate that simply won’t cut it at the highest level.
That said, his control numbers were much better in Triple-A, where he walked just 6.8% of hitters while maintaining a strong 27.3% strikeout rate across 30 1/3 innings between the Rangers and Phillies organizations.
Now, as he heads to spring training, Robert enters a crowded bullpen competition. The Phillies have built out a deep group of arms, both on the 40-man roster and among non-roster invitees, all jockeying for a shot at the Opening Day roster-or at least a role in the shuttle between Philly and Lehigh Valley.
Among those competing are right-handers Jonathan Bowlan (acquired in the Matt Strahm trade), Zach McCambley (a Rule 5 pick), and Zach Pop (who’s out of options and can’t be sent down without passing through waivers). There’s also lefty Kyle Backhus and righty Chase Shugart, both added via trade this winter, along with Seth Johnson, Max Lazar, and Nolan Hoffman-all already on the 40-man.
And that’s before you even get to the rest of the non-roster group. Right-handers Michael Mercado, Trevor Richards, Jonathan Hernández, and Andrew Bechtold will all be in camp, as will lefties Tim Mayza, Génesis Cabrera, and Andrew Walling. It’s a bullpen battle that promises to be one of the more intriguing storylines of Phillies camp.
For Robert, the path to a roster spot won’t be easy-but he’s got the stuff to make things interesting. If he can harness his command and build on last year’s flashes, he could be a valuable depth piece in a long season that always tests a team’s bullpen depth.
The Phillies are betting there’s more to unlock. Spring training will be his chance to prove it.