Hansel Robles

Hansel Manuel Robles Sanchez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Escuela Basica Sonador
• Debut April 24, 2015

• Born August 13, 1990 in Bonao, Monsenor Nouel D.R.

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Biographical Information

Pitcher Hansel Robles has played in the majors for several years.

Robles was originally signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic on August 21, 2008. He pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2009 and 2010, mainly as a starter, then moved to the United States in 2011 with the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, where he was 3-1, 2.68 in 15 relief outings. In 2012, he was with the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League. There, he went a brilliant 6-1, 1.11 in 12 starts, giving up only 47 hits and 10 walks in 72 2/3 innings while striking out 66. He made the league's All-Star team. However, he missed time because of an injury in 2013 and made only 16 appearances for the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League in what should have been his first taste of full-season ball. He was 5-4, 3.72 and also made a couple of starts in the Gulf Coast League on a rehabilitation assignment. He was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the AA Eastern League in 2014, where he went 7-6, 4.31 as a swingman, making 18 starts in 30 outings. In 2015, he had made five scoreless relief appearances with the Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League when he was called up to the Show.

He made his major league debut with the New York Mets a couple of weeks into the 2015 season and managed to stick with the team for the remainder of the season, going 4-3, 3.67 in 57 appearances, all of them in relief. he struck out 61 batters in 54 innings and walked 18, giving the Mets some quality innings from the back of the bullpen. On September 29th, as the season was winding down, he was involved in an incident in a game with the Philadelphia Phillies when he threw at the head of batter Cameron Rupp with a quick pitch. He was initially handed a three-game suspension, which he appealed and thus did not serve before the regular season ended. It was reduced to two games the following spring, to be served at the start of 2016. He was on the team's postseason roster and made three appearances, pitching a scoreless inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series, and two perfect innings against the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

Robles was not on the Mets' Opening Day roster due to his suspension, but joined the Mets for their home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. On September 23 at Citi Field, Robles recorded his first career save after entering a game in the seventh inning and throwing hitless relief.

He pitched for the Dominican national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. In 2017, Robles underperformed. Before the summer began, he was demoted to AAA where he spent nearly two months before returning to the Mets. At the Major League level, his walk rate increased for the second consecutive season and his home run rate nearly doubled.

On January 12, 2018, Robles and the Mets agreed to a $900,000 deal, avoiding arbitration. Robles started the season in AAA but was promoted on April 3 when Anthony Swarzak was placed on the disabled list with an oblique strain. He was optioned later in the month, and was called back up on May 5. With the Mets in 2018 he was 2–2 with a 5.03 ERA in 16 relief appearances, striking out 23 batters in 19 2/3 innings. Robles was designated for assignment on June 22.

On June 23, 2018, Robles was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels. With the Angels in 2018, he was 0-1 with 2 saves with a 2.97 ERA in 37 relief appearances, striking out 36 batters in 36 1⁄3 innings. Robles' continued success with the Angels continued into the 2019 season, as he recorded an ERA of 2.48 in 71 appearances. He also served as closer, recording 23 saves in 72 2⁄3 innings. He tied Joakim Soria and Chaz Roe for 9th in the 2019 AL in appearances and tied Ken Giles for 8th in saves. On December 2nd, Robles was non-tendered by the Angels.

On December 29, 2020, Robles signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. Through the end of July, 2021, Robles appeared in 45 games with the Twins, all in relief, compiling a 3–4 record with 4.91 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. On July 30th, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor-league pitcher Alex Scherff.

Related Sites

• Hansel Robles on mlb.com