The Atlanta Braves bullpen is pretty bad and it is (mostly) the front office's fault. Yes, there have been normally reliable arms like Raisel Iglesias that have regressed unexpectedly, but have a bullpen that collectively ranks 22nd by fWAR in all of baseball despite having some favorable BABIP numbers is a roster construction problem. At the end of the day, the Braves just didn't replace what they lost last offseason like they should have, but they may have another chance sooner than one thinks.
While he has been under the radar lately, David Robertson remains a free agent and a bullpen arm that could move the needle. While he is older, Robertson is coming off a strong season with the Rangers and it was surprising that he didn't sign during the offseason. Apparently Robertson was looking for one last real payday and he didn't find any team willing to reach his price.
With the long lay-off, there was some understandable concern that between his asking price and the fact that it wasn't known how "in shape" he was, Robertson wouldn't be able to contribute this season. However, a recent workout changed the narrative and Robertson became a hot commodity again.
Unfortunately, it was not to be as the Braves missed their opportunity for Robertson and he instead decided to sign with the Phillies.
Right-handed reliever David Robertson and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a one-year deal, as @Ken_Rosenthal reported. Robertson will receive more than $5 million for the rest of the season on his deal, which is for a prorated $16 million. Phillies need RP badly.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 20, 2025
David Robertson could be the short-term fix the Braves are looking for for their bullpen
Before anyone asks, the idea that Robertson could have changed the actual trajectory of the Braves' season is fundamentally flawed. He is only one bullpen arm and Robertson couldn't fix an inconsistent at best offense and a rotation that is ravaged by injuries all by himself.
However, what Robertson could have been is a bridge to the future and a mentor to the young guys in Atlanta's bullpen. If the Braves are able to find a taker, Iglesias is going to get shipped out at the trade deadline and there is a chance that Pierce Johnson joins him. Having an arm like Robertson around could have stabilized a bullpen that is likely to lose some arms and give Atlanta a softer landing at the end of the season.
The fundamental problem with this plan was that Robertson probably wants to play for a contender and the Braves are...not. Robertson's workout going as well as it seemingly did got the attention of contenders motivated that are headed for the postseason and the Phillies ultimately won out. Unless the Braves had thrown a LOT of money at Robertson (and that seems like it would have been a bad idea), they may not even have much of a chance in the bidding from the start.