Inside The Dodgers

Ex-Dodgers Reliever Quickly Lands With AL East Team

Maren Angus-Coombs

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Nick Robertson is on the move once again, joining his fifth team in just over a year.

He was recently claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays after being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels designated Robertson for assignment to clear a spot for outfielder Gustavo Campero, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Salt Lake. Just two days later, the Blue Jays decided to take a chance on the 26-year-old right-hander.

Though Robertson spent a month with the Angels, he never made a big-league appearance.

However, he did pitch in 10 minor league games, posting a 6.92 earned run average and a 2.000 WHIP over 13 innings.

Robertson has thrown two scoreless innings with the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate. The Bisons are the fourth team's uniform he has worn this year.

The Angels claimed Robertson off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 13, just three days after the Cardinals designated him for assignment. Before being sent down by St. Louis in May, Robertson had a 4.38 ERA and a 1.378 WHIP. His struggles continued at Triple-A Memphis, where he posted a 7.48 ERA and a 1.800 WHIP.

Robertson has some big-league experience but with mixed results.

Over the past two seasons, he's pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Cardinals, posting a 5.45 earned run average in 34.2 innings.

Despite that, his underlying metrics suggest he's had some tough luck. His .386 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) and 65.1 percent strand rate indicate some misfortune, while his 25.3 percent strikeout rate and 7 percent walk rate are solid. His 4.12 FIP and 3.49 SIERA suggest he’s capable of performing better than his surface stats show.

His minor league numbers tell a similar story.

Since 2021, Robertson has thrown 203 innings in the minors with a 4.39 ERA, 27.8 percent strikeout rate, 9.5 percent walk rate, and a .326 BABIP. His 66.6 percent strand rate and 4.01 FIP further highlight that his results might not fully reflect his potential.

Even though Robertson has a history of giving up runs, teams have remained interested in Robertson due to his impressive strikeout-to-walk ratios.

The Red Sox picked him up from the Dodgers in a trade last summer that sent Kiké Hernández to Los Angeles. A few months later, the Cardinals traded for Robertson, acquiring him from Boston in the Dec. 2023 deal that moved Tyler O’Neill to the Red Sox.

Robertson was selected by the Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2019 draft and made his MLB debut in 2023.

So far in the majors, he has a 0-1 record with a 5.45 ERA, 1.615 WHIP, 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, and a -0.4 WAR. In the minors. Robertson holds an 8-10 record with a 4.19 ERA, 1.299 WHIP, 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings, and has tallied 24 saves.

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Maren Angus-Coombs

MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite growing up in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer at the LA Sports Report Network.

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