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Jeff Passan, ESPN
Nearer Jordan Romano signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the staff introduced Monday, fortifying a bullpen that served as a power through the common season however crumbled within the playoffs.
The deal is price $8.5 million, in line with a number of experiences.
Romano, 31, was nontendered by the Toronto Blue Jays after an injury-riddled yr that ended with him present process arthroscopic surgical procedure on his proper elbow. Over the prior 4 seasons, Romano had been probably the greatest aid pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.29 ERA in 200⅔ innings with 251 strikeouts and 75 walks. The deal is pending a bodily.
Reasonably than go to arbitration with Romano — the place his wage was projected to stay across the $7.75 million he earned this yr after posting a 6.59 ERA in 13⅔ innings — or commerce him, Toronto declining to supply Romano a contract led to his free company.
“Everybody loves him,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “I spoke to him after we non-tendered him, and he understood it. Very skilled about it. I have never heard again from him but in the present day, however he was nice. He was sort of what we stood for in how he went about his enterprise, the teammate that he was, the depth wherein he competed with.”
Philadelphia pounced shortly, seeking to change All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman and right-hander Carlos Estevez, who reached free company. Romano will be a part of a bullpen that returns All-Star Matt Strahm, right-hander Orion Kerkering and hard-throwing lefties Jose Alvarado and Gregory Soto.
After successful the Nationwide League East with a 95-67 file, the Phillies received bounced of their first playoff sequence towards the New York Mets, who completed six video games behind them within the division. The Phillies blew leads within the sixth inning or later in three of the sequence’ 4 video games. Philadelphia entered the winter seeking to shake up its roster, and although no trades have materialized, the Phillies noticed a high-upside alternative with Romano.
Whereas his well being will decide his effectiveness — “Now we have no medical considerations” about Romano, Blue Jays basic supervisor Ross Atkins mentioned final week — the two-time All-Star combines a fastball that sits 95 to 97 mph with a swing-and-miss slider he throws about half the time. If that stage of stuff exhibits up in spring coaching, Romano could possibly be in line for save alternatives, with supervisor Rob Thomson this season utilizing eight totally different relievers to shut video games.
Over his six-year profession, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Romano has saved 105 video games with 285 strikeouts and 88 walks in 229⅔ innings. From 2021 to 2023, Romano earned probably the most Baseball-Reference wins above alternative of any reliever in baseball, with 7.4, multiple WAR forward of second-place Devin Williams.