David Robertson’s second time around with the Philadelphia Phillies has turned out better than his first.

Robertson and the Phillies open the World Series against the Houston Astros on Friday night, returning the former Paul W. Bryant High School and Alabama standout to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009, when he won a ring with the New York Yankees.

Robertson joined the Philadelphia bullpen on Aug. 2, when the Chicago Cubs traded him for Tennessee Smokies starter Ben Brown.

“I didn’t have any choice in where I was traded,” Robertson told MLB Network on Thursday. “But I will say when I got traded to Philly, I had a nice little fist pump because ‘Yes, I know where I’m going. I’ve been there before. I know how to drive into the ballpark. I just played this team. I know some of the guys. It’s going to work. It’s a good fit.’”

Robertson had signed with the Phillies as a free agent in January 2019. His contract called for a $10 million salary in 2019 and an $11 million salary in 2020. The contract also included a team option for a third season — $12 million for 2021 or $2 million to release Robertson, which the Phillies did on Oct. 20, 2020.

After seven games with Philadelphia is 2019, Robertson had an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, and some additional issues caused his recovery to stretch to 18 months.

Robertson didn’t pitch in a Major League game between April 14, 2019, and Sept. 1, 2021.

Robertson’s comeback got a boost as the closer for the United States Olympic team, which won a silver medal in Tokyo in August 2021. He finished the 2021 MLB season with the Tampa Bay Rays before joining the Cubs for the 2022 campaign.

With a 2.23 earned-run average and 14 saves for a team 20 games under .500, Robertson was a hot commodity at the trade deadline this season.

When Robertson joined the Phillies, they had a 55-48 record, a .534 winning percentage. Since then, Philadelphia has gone 41-29, a .586 winning percentage, and eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres in the National League playoffs on the way to the World Series.

“After the trade deadline and we get moved over here, it seemed like everything just started to click for this club,” Robertson said. “We started to do everything right. Guys were filling holes that we were having, whether it be in the lineup or the bullpen. We just started to put things together and go on runs. Once we got started, we were able to get here. …

“Once we knew we were in (the playoffs), that we were going to get an opportunity, we had a chance. This group is relentless and knows what they’re doing in between the lines. They play really hard together. And we knew all we had to do was get in.”

But to get to the World Series, Robertson had to stage another comeback.

Robertson sustained a right calf strain on Oct. 8 when Bryce Harper’s home run in the second inning gave the Phillies what they needed to beat the Cardinals 2-0 in an NL Wild-Card Series and advance in the postseason. The injury caused Robertson to be left off Philadelphia’s roster for the NL Divisional Round series against the Braves.

“I’ve had some really good treatment, so I’ve been able to get back,” Robertson said. “It’s embarrassing to say it. I just went to jump up and give Kyle Gibson a high five when Bryce hit a homer, and the calf let me down. …

“They didn’t need me for the Braves series, and we’re doing fine now, so I’m excited to be back. I feel healthy. I feel good. Thankfully, it didn’t sideline me for the whole postseason.”

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Robertson went to the playoffs in four of his first five seasons, when he served as a setup man for Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. In his first postseason opportunity, Robertson came out as a champion as New York beat the Phillies in the 2009 World Series in six games.

But between that championship and this year’s World Series, Robertson appeared in the playoffs six times without reaching MLB’s biggest stage.

“I’m excited about it,” Robertson said. “You go to the postseason a lot, but it’s hard to get here. Everybody wants to be here. These teams are tough to beat.”

Robertson made the American League All-Star team in 2011, his fourth MLB season. When Rivera retired, Robertson took over at the back of the New York bullpen and saved 39 games in 2014.

Robertson left the Yankees in free agency and saved 34 games in 2015 and 37 in 2016 for the Chicago White Sox. Robertson had 13 more saves for Chicago when it traded him to the Yankees on July 18, 2017.

That marked a return to postseason baseball for Robertson.

Robertson has pitched in 37 playoff games, which ranks 13th in AL/NL history. He and former Yankees standout Lefty Gomez are the only pitchers in AL/NL history with at least six pitching wins and without a loss in the postseason. Both have 6-0 marks.

In his MLB career, Robertson has pitched in 731 regular-season games – all but one in relief — compiling a 57-36 record with 157 saves and a 2.89 earned-run average. In 739.1 innings, he’s given up 550 hits, struck out 977 and walked 305.

Robertson has pitched in more big-league games than any other Alabama alumnus, and he ranks 10th on the school’s list for MLB games played. He’s also saved more games than any other former Crimson Tide player and ranks second to Frank Lary on Alabama’s MLB strikeout list.

The best-of-seven World Series begins at 7 p.m. CDT Friday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. FOX will televise the game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.