ARLINGTON, Texas — As expected, the Phillies recalled veteran right-hander David Robertson from Lehigh Valley and optioned pitcher Alan Rangel to Lehigh Valley.

Robertson hasn’t pitched yet this year in the big leagues as he was contemplating retirement after pitching for the Texas Rangers last season, when he appeared in 68 games that constituted 72 innings and a 3.00 ERA.

“I’m very excited to be back. This is the only life I’ve ever known for the past 20 years,” the 40-year-old Robertson said Sunday. “Ready to step back between the lines and see if I can help this team out. I feel ready to go. Everything that I’ve thrown is back to where it should be. Now I’ve just got to step up here and do it in between the lines at this level.

“It took a couple games, I knew I would need three or four outings, it ended up being five and had back-to-back outings before I come in here, so that was good so I can be prepared to throw back-to-back days up here.”

Robertson adds another arm to the ever-changing bullpen that has seen the arrival of Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline and will be getting back Jose Alvarado, probably next week.

“It’s really changed over a short period of time. We’ve added some real quality and there’s a lot of options out there to go to,” manager Rob Thomson said. “To start out with, I’d like to ease [Robertson] in a little bit, a little lower leverage, but we may be forced to run him out there in high leverage, who knows.

“He’s a calming influence, he’s been through it before, World Series, playoff runs. I think he’s a good guy for the younger guys to kind of lean on and learn from.”

Stott starts against a lefty

Bryson Stott got the start Sunday against Rangers left-hander Patrick Corbin.

It’s rare that Stott gets the start against a lefty, but there were numbers behind the manager’s decision. Stott is 5 for 13 in his career against Corbin with a double, triple and five RBI. He has also been swinging well of late as he gone 5 for 9 with a pair of runs scored in his last three games.

“I think the change in his mechanics,” Thomson said of Stott’s better hitting of late. “Quieting his hands and hands up as he’s going into his load is helping a lot. He knows where the barrel is at now. He’s using the field and now he’s getting the ball up in the air to the pull side, which is good.”

Over his past 14 games, Stott is 13 for 39 (.333 average) with nine RBI, eight runs scored and five doubles.

Defense working

The Phillies have been playing really well in the field as of late, with strong play in all areas. It’s something that has been coming, according to Thomson.

“I think over the past couple of years it’s gotten better and better and better,” he said. “It’s due to a lot of work by the players but also by (infield coach) Bobby Dickerson and Paco (Figueroa) and the catching coaches. I think they’ve done a great job, cleaning up some physical stuff. I think we’ve played really well of late. I think we’ve gotten better over the last couple years.”

In Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Rangers, J.T. Realmuto threw out two would-be base stealers, while Edmundo Sosa saved a run with a terrific play at third and Stott ended any rally thoughts by Texas in the ninth when he came up with a slow grounder and threw to get the first out of the ninth.