The Phillies landed an experienced closer during the Winter Meetings, as former All-Star Jordan Romano will reportedly join the reigning NL East champions. The move comes a few weeks after Romano was non-tendered by the Blue Jays.
A Look at Romano
What a difference a year can make in baseball. Last season, Jordan Romano was one of baseball’s best closers. One year later, Romano was unceremoniously added to the free agent pool.
The 31-year-old Romano was non-tendered by the Blue Jays, even though Toronto GM Ross Atkins believed he would be at full strength in 2025. Romano made $7.75MM in 2024 and since in the arbitration process, a player can only receive a maximum 20% pay cut unless the individual agrees to avoid the process and accept a further one, he would have made at least $6.2MM.
It’s more likely than not Toronto — a team looking to beef up their offense — balked at the price of paying Romano for another season, especially with Chad Green on the books for 2025.
The move came after a 2024 campaign that saw Romano miss most of the year thanks to arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. He only threw 13.2 IP in 2024, and wasn’t particularly effective when on the mound. Romano’s Whiff% dropped from 35.9% to 24.3% and surrendered 10 runs with the Jays.
When healthy, Romano was one of the best relievers in 2022 and 2023. His 72 saves in that span were second-most in the Majors, only behind Emmanuel Clase (86).
His bread-and-butter pitch is a hard four-seam fastball with above-average carry (17.8” IVB in 2024) and plays significantly up thanks to extension that ranked in the 100th percentile, per Statcast.
Romano will also deploy a hard, mid-to-high-80s slider with above-average vertical drop. That movement makes it very difficult to locate and barrel up. During his 2023 campaign, batters hit .216/.275 wOBA off the slider.
Per reports, the Phillies signed Jordan Romano to a one-year deal pending a physical.
Analysis
The Phillies fill what we considered to be their top need this offseason with Romano, a highly-effective reliever when healthy. And given it’s only a one-year deal, it’s a low-risk move for Philadelphia.
Philadelphia lost Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman to free agency, who combined for 16 of the Phillies’ 37 saves last season. Jose Alvarado, the team leader at 16, is still on the roster but hasn’t taken the ball and ran with it when tabbed as the Phillies’ closer. He doesn’t have as good as command as Hoffman and Estevez, who were more effective in the role.
Romano figures to be an early favorite to be the Phillies closer in 2025 if healthy. Right now, their other late-inning options include the aforementioned Alvarado, Matt Strahm, who’s been used in a variety of different situations with Philly, and hard-thrower Orion Kerkering.
Other bullpen options include Michael Mercado, Max Lazar, and Tanner Banks.
It’s important for teams to have pitchers who can give teams different looks. Romano is different, in the sense that he throws from a high 3/4” arm slot, and has plus extension on the fastball that can speed up on hitters. It differs from Kerkering, a fellow right-handed reliever with a similar arsenal but one who doesn’t have the same arm slot, nor extension.
Make sure to check out our other free agency coverage, including the Dodgers’ signing of Michael Conforto and the Mets’ addition of Juan Soto.