Hansel Robles
Hansel Manuel Robles is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. Robles signed as an international free agent with the New York Mets in 2008. He made his MLB debut in 2015.
Career
New York Mets
Robles signed as an international free agent in August 2008. Robles played in the minors with the Dominican Summer League Mets, Kingsport Mets, Brooklyn Cyclones, Gulf Coast League Mets, St. Lucie Mets, Binghamton Mets, and the Las Vegas 51s.2015
The Mets added Robles to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2014. The Mets promoted him to the major leagues for the first time on April 20, 2015 to replace then-injured reliever Jerry Blevins.He made his Major League debut on April 24 against the interleague-rival New York Yankees. He came into the game in the seventh inning giving up a hit to Alex Rodriguez to load the bases, then getting Mark Teixeira to pop out and struck out Brian McCann and Carlos Beltrán to end the inning.
On August 25 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Robles came into the game in the sixth inning getting two outs, one of them being a strikeout. In the seventh inning with two outs and no one on, Robles threw his 19th pitch of the game, a quick pitch with Darin Ruf batting. The home plate umpire Dan Bellino pointed at Robles to start throwing, but Ruf's head was down and was caught by surprise with the pitch while at the same time Bellino put his hand out yelling "time". The pitch was not called ball or strike. Former Met Jeff Francoeur stepped out of the dugout yelling at Robles with Bellino approaching the Phillies dugout telling Francouer to sit down. Robles also yelled back at Francoeur.
Then Larry Bowa, the bench coach for the Phillies was thrown out of the game arguing over the quick pitch. Both of the benches for the Mets and the Phillies cleared, with the Mets players going to the mound to protect Robles while Mets manager Terry Collins came near the Phillies bench, with the umpires in between them, shaking his head no against whatever Bowa was saying at him.
Larry Bowa was ejected from the game. While the umpires were discussing, Bowa began yelling at Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy over his bat-flip from the day before in the Mets 16-7 win over the Phillies after Murphy hit a home run off pitcher Justin De Fratus in the sixth inning. Both teams were given warnings. When things calmed down, on a 2-2 pitch, Robles struck out Ruf chasing the pitch to end the inning with Robles staring at the Phillies dugout while walking towards the Mets dugout.
Another quick pitch incident occurred on September 24 against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in the bottom of the eighth inning with no one on base and one out, Robles threw a quick pitch on a 0–2 count to batter Jay Bruce for his sixth pitch of the inning with home plate umpire Adam Hamari originally signaling no pitch then changing it to a ball. The umpire is allowed to call a quick pitch a ball, but manager Terry Collins argued that it couldn't be a ball. He argued with Hamari and third base umpire Ted Barrett, but the call stood. However, review of the pitch showed that Bruce seemed ready to hit the pitch, but the ball landed out of the strike zone where it could've been called a ball regardless of the quick pitch.
On October 2 in Philadelphia against the Phillies in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Mets leading 5–3 with no one on base and one out, a 2–2 count to batter Cameron Rupp on the 14th pitch, Robles threw a quick pitch near the head of Rupp and both of the benches for the Mets and the Phillies emptied but no fight occurred. Robles was ejected immediately by home plate umpire Bob Davidson. Rupp began cursing at Robles while being restrained by catcher Travis d'Arnaud who told Rupp that the pitch wasn't intentional. Robles pleaded his case saying it wasn't his fault indicating he had no intention to hit Rupp. Manager Terry Collins of the Mets was ejected because the umpire's judged that if there was any intent then both the pitcher and the manager are therefore ejected. The pitch became ball 3 with the count 3–2.
Earlier in the game, pitcher Justin De Fratus hit Yoenis Céspedes in the third inning on his hand, bruising his left middle and ring fingers. He would leave the game. His replacement, Kirk Nieuwenhuis was hit in the fifth inning by Adam Loewen. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Logan Verrett hit Odubel Herrera in the back. After Herrera was hit, Bob Davidson issued warnings to both benches.
As a result of the incident, Robles was suspended for three games by Major League Baseball and fined an undisclosed amount. He appealed the suspension and was allowed to play for the rest of the season. When the Mets made the playoffs, Robles was part of the roster of the Mets all the way up to the 2015 World Series. Once the appeal process is complete, the suspension would carry over into 2016.
Robles appeared in the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two in the eighth inning getting two strikeouts. In the World Series against the Kansas City Royals he appeared in game two in the bottom of the sixth inning getting the three batters he faced out. He also appeared in game four in the top of the ninth inning getting three outs, two of them strikeouts.
Robles finished the season with a 4–3 record, 3.67 ERA in 57 games in 54 innings pitched with a WHIP of 1.019 with 61 strikeouts while giving up 37 hits, 27 runs, 8 home runs, and 18 walks.
2016
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.2017
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.2018
On January 12, 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 innings. Robles was designated for assignment on June 22.