On April 19, Jordan Romano came into the game in the ninth inning to close out a win, just like everyone predicted when the Phillies signed him this past offseason. However, this game situation looked a bit different than originally expected.
The Phillies had a seven run lead over the Miami Marlins. The only reason Romano was in there was so manager Rob Thompson didn’t have to use one of the key relievers and to help build the right-hander's confidence with an easy, low-leverage outing.
When the Phillies signed Jordan Romano to a one-year deal worth $8.5 million, the Phillies envisioned him being an integral part and a back-end reliever for this team that has World Series aspirations. But up to that point of the season, the veteran right-hander had a 9.00 ERA, and it had been as high as 15.75 about a week earlier.
Jordan Romano had the worst start you could imagine after signing with the Phillies in the offseason
Unfortunately, the plan didn’t go as they hoped on that day against the Marlins. Romano came in throwing meatballs to a struggling Marlins team. With a fastball sitting 96-97 mph, he only lasted two thirds of an inning while surrendering six earned runs on six hits, two of which were homers. After that game, his ERA shot up to 15.26.
Romano, the former two-time All-Star, was at a loss for answers. Something wasn’t right and he, nor the Phillies coaching staff, could sort it out up to that point. They were searching for answers. There was a mechanical issue that they spotted that they seemed to sort out, and Romano even wondered if he was tipping his pitches.
The Phillies had to shift their focus from Romano, and they were relying heavily on the likes of Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and José Alvarado. They were squeezing innings out of those three and then rolling the dice and thrusting other bullpen pieces into higher leverage situations that they weren’t necessarily expected to do.
To date, Thompson has used Kerkering in 21 games, Strahm in 22 games, and their bona fide bullpen arm, Alvarado in 20 games, the vast majority of these appearances being in high-leverage situations. There weren’t many other arms who Thompson has put trust in to step up in the most crucial moments.
Romano became the most important arm in the Phillies' bullpen after José Alvarado's PED suspension
Then the news broke about Jose Alvarado’s 80 game suspension because of his positive test for a banned substance.
And just like that, the Phillies' offseason signing just became the most important arm in the bullpen.
Well, Romano has answered the call. Since that disappointing outing against Miami, the 32-year-old veteran figured something out. In 11 games played since April 19, over 10 2/3 innings, Romano has given up just one earned run, five hits and three walks. He has struck out 16 batters and has accumulated a minuscule 0.84 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. In those 11 games, he has thrown 133 pitches, with 89 of those being strikes for a 66.9 percent rate.
Jordan Romano, K'ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/FUzvNO35ds
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 14, 2025
He has been much better of late, and it’s showing on the field, but also off. He is more relaxed and himself. “It always feels good when you’re contributing to wins. I’m just kind of feeling more like myself out there, not pressing as much, just kind of being me,” he told Todd Zolecki with MLB.com.
Overall, in comparison to other pitchers, Romano’s number have looked much better. According to Baseball Savant, he is ranked in the 90th percentile of whiff rate, 76th percentile in strikeout rate, 73rd percentile in xERA, and 75th percentile in xBA. His hard-hit rate, strikeout rate, and xERA are all more aligned with his two All-Star years in 2022 and 2023 than the disappointing year he had in 2024.
Since April 19, he has five saves and two holds, and he will likely get the bulk of the save situations moving forward. With Alvarado’s suspension, Romano will become ever-more vital to the success of the bullpen and to the team.