Aug 21, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher David Robertson (30) gets a new baseball after allowing a two run home run to New York Mets left fielder Mark Canha (19) during the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Phillies manager Rob Thomson might’ve cost his team the game on Sunday against the New York Mets by overusing David Robertson.
Robertson has been phenomenal since coming over from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. In the City of Brotherly Love, he’s pitched to a 2.08 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in eight appearances.
However, being a reliever, Robertson needs scheduled off days. Thomson hasn’t provided the right-hander with that sort of stability, and despite his old-school approach, it’s pretty evident that Robertson needs that time.
Robertson pitched two innings on Saturday, throwing 36 pitches in the process. Despite all that work, Thomson deemed him ready for Sunday’s outing. Spoiler: It didn’t go as planned.
When Mark Canha is pimping go-ahead home runs off you, something has gone horribly wrong.
Phillies: Did Rob Thomson mismanage his bullpen?
Thomson has been one heck of a find for the Phillies. It speaks volumes to the Phils front office and Dave Dombrowski for knowing exactly what this team of veterans needed to make a playoff push — a wake-up call in the form of a managerial change.
Thomson has provided that jolt, and while it’s unknown if he’ll be around beyond this season, he’s left quite the impression.
Robertson owned the loss on Sunday — as he should have, of course. He was the one throwing the pitches.
“You make bad pitches and these big-league hitters will make you pay for it,” Robertson said.
Yet, it’s on Thomson to manage his bullpen correctly.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson says he wouldn’t change a thing after David Robertson threw 36 pitches Saturday night. He came back to David todayhttps://t.co/Qww8oHzOUR
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 22, 2022
Robertson threw thirty pitches yesterday. Thirty. What are we doing here?
A very Joe Girardi level decision by Rob Thomson today.
— Dr. Death Steve Wheeliams (@GentonWheels) August 21, 2022
People were ready to make Rob Thomson the full time manager because Philadelphia had the stupidest sports fans on the planet.
— Bread (@_HelloImBawbTwo) August 21, 2022
Rob Thomson seems like a players coach. That’s great.
He can’t give the ball to D-Rob a day after nearly 40 pitches in two innings https://t.co/Zh60aoiA2m
— Henny Blankenship (@CamronSanto) August 22, 2022
Loss is on Rob Thomson. Another L courtesy of our world-beating managerial combo.
— Bookmark Daddy (@BookmarkDaddy) August 22, 2022
As the dog days of August turn into critical games in September, it’s something to keep an eye on with a Phillies team that ought to be one of the scarier outs in the National League Wild Card race.