Phillies’ 1-year, $8.5M deal with Jordan Romano comes with upside and risk.. Read more
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 16: PItcher Jordan Romano #68 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after Daulton Varsho made a diving catch on a ball off the bat of Anthony Rizzo of the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre on April 16, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Matt Gelb
Ken Rosenthal
Matt Gelb and Ken Rosenthal
Dec 9, 2024
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DALLAS — Once the Toronto Blue Jays declined to offer their former All-Star closer a contract last month, the Phillies made immediate contact with Jordan Romano’s agent. First, they needed to see the latest medical reports. Romano, who had elbow surgery in July, was throwing what Dave Dombrowski described as “full bore” bullpen sessions. The Phillies received video clips of Romano.
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They were interested.
“We didn’t necessarily expect him to be available,” Dombrowski said.
So the veteran president of baseball operations jumped. There was enough interest in Romano to nudge a one-year deal with the Phillies to $8.5 million — a tick above the number Romano would have received through salary arbitration had the Blue Jays retained him. It’s a contract that comes with upside and risk.
Romano will not be the Phillies’ closer, at least not to begin the season.
“There were no promises to him,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said, “other than leverage.”
Both sides are making a bet that Romano can prove he’s healthy — and as effective as he was during a recent three-year span. Dombrowski said Romano’s camp preferred a one-year deal. It includes a $500,000 bonus if Romano reaches 60 innings, according to a league source.
Romano rose in the Blue Jays organization from an afterthought 10th-round pick later selected in the Rule 5 draft (only to be returned) to a lockdown closer who pitched to a 2.37 ERA with 95 saves from 2021-23.
But Romano encountered elbow trouble in 2024. He did not appear in a game after May 29. He had a 6.59 ERA in 13 2/3 innings on the season. He twice went on the injured list with elbow inflammation, then underwent arthroscopic surgery on July 3 for an elbow impingement. Toronto had hoped Romano could return before the 2024 season ended if the club was in contention. That didn’t happen.
As a member of the Blue Jays, Jordan Romano tallied 105 saves over six seasons and made the All-Star team twice. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
The Phillies were undeterred.
“We think he’s one of the best backend, high-leverage guys in baseball,” Dombrowski said. “Our medicals on him have been very good.”
Romano might be the Phillies’ lone bullpen addition this offseason.
“We feel comfortable where we are,” Dombrowski said. “I’m not saying we won’t add. I never know what’s going to go. I never know that. But we’re comfortable where we are right now. If we feel we can help our club in other ways, we’re still open to that. But we feel good where we are in our bullpen.”
That is an interesting proclamation, given the Phillies felt it was important at last season’s trade deadline to trade two decent pitching prospects for another late-inning reliever. Carlos Estévez is a free agent, just as Jeff Hoffman is. The Phillies are seeking an outfielder and could add to their rotation depth, but if they secure only marginal upgrades there, they could further fortify the bullpen.
League sources said the Phillies will continue to pursue bullpen targets through trade and free-agent talks. Romano joins a late-inning Phillies bullpen mix that includes righty Orion Kerkering and lefties Matt Strahm and José Alvarado.
Romano will fill a large role from the beginning.
“We think he’s going to be ready to go,” Dombrowski said. “We don’t think of him as being a 13-inning guy. We think of him as being a full-fledged reliever. We like our guys. We think Kerkering is ready to take another step forward. We’ve got Strahm. We’ve got Alvarado, so really you have four back-end guys. We like Tanner Banks. (José) Ruiz did a good job for us (last season). I’m not saying that we would never add another guy, but I think if you’ve got four high-leverage relievers that we think we do, that’s pretty good.”
Romano, when right, leans on his slider along with a fastball that sits 97 mph. He averaged 62 innings per season during that strong three-year stretch. The native Canadian was popular among fans and his teammates in Toronto. He was due a salary near $8 million through the arbitration system; Toronto had deemed that too pricey.
“We were definitely interested and were talking to him, and he’s had an incredible impact,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. “He is an incredible teammate. … He’s as good as they come, and the local aspect of him was special — not only to the fans but to me. A very, very difficult decision, but we’re running a business, and every dollar matters. So we made a tough one.”
The decisions are only going to grow tougher for the Phillies. Dombrowski deployed platitudes Monday about his current lineup. “I’m not sure what else I would say is our priority, other than to get better,” Dombrowski said. He is comfortable with his roster.
Those are the talking points of an executive who knows more can and will change. The Phillies continue to engage clubs in various trade scenarios. All markets are moving with Juan Soto off the board.
“I continue to be of the mindset that we’re very open-minded and we’ve had a lot of conversations with people,” Dombrowski said. “But that’s different than saying, ‘We’re going to trade such and such.’ Because if we’re going to make a move, you don’t want to get worse. You want to get at least equal, right, if you’re changing faces. So I think that’s what’s really important.”
(Photo of Jordan Romano: Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)
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