Overview
- Robert collapsed near the mound in Clearwater during a bullpen session on Sunday, and the Phillies said he was stable and alert before he was released from a local hospital hours later.
- Team officials said his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a device that detects dangerous heart rhythms and can deliver a shock, activated during the episode and, according to manager Rob Thomson, fired twice.
- This was his second such emergency in five months after an Oct. 31 collapse that required CPR and an external defibrillator, after which he went on blood-pressure medication, received the ICD, completed testing, and was cleared to return on a minor-league deal in February.
- The Phillies and hospital staff plan to review the ICD data, and his short-term availability and longer-term pitching future remain uncertain pending that medical evaluation.
- Forbes reported, citing sources close to Robert, that the device’s settings may have prompted the shock and were recalibrated, a detail not confirmed by the team as it continues its medical review.