The Philadelphia Phillies have signed right-hander Jordan Romano to a one-year, $7.75 million deal, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Romano joins the Phillies after spending his entire six-year career with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he compiled a 2.90 ERA and 105 saves. Toronto non-tendered the beloved 31-year-old right-hander from Markham, Ontario in November, making him a free agent for the first time.
Coming off of back-to-back All-Star Game selections, Romano had a rough 2024. He opened the season on the injured list with elbow inflammation, only to be sidelined with the same injury again a month later. Romano tossed 13 2/3 innings over 15 appearances with a 6.59 ERA before undergoing season-ending arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Phillies Sign Jordan Romano
Romano, who turns 32 in April, had been an elite back-end weapon for the Blue Jays since taking over the closing role in 2021. He recorded 103 saves over the past four seasons, including consecutive 36-save performances in 2022 and 2023. Before his injury-riddled 2024, he topped 55 innings and turned in a sub-3.00 ERA in three straight seasons. Over that span, Romano posted a 2.37 ERA through 186 innings and struck out over 30% of opposing hitters.
Despite battling an elbow injury, Romano led the majors with a 7.5-foot extension and a fastball velocity in the top 15 according to Statcast. He solidified his status as the top closer in 2022, setting a Blue Jays franchise record with 26 consecutive saves. That same year Romano finished third in the American League with 36 saves and made his first All-Star Game appearance. His 105 career saves are the third-most in Blue Jays history and rank 14th among active major league closers. Toronto played it safe with Romano following his elbow arthroscopy, rather than rushing him back to a team trailing 9 1/2 games in the Wild Card. But the veteran flame thrower should be good to go when pitchers and catchers report in February.
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