The Philadelphia Phillies scratched one major need off the team's offseason to-do list on Monday when they agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal with former Blue Jays All-Star closer Jordan Romano. Romano, 31, spent his first six seasons with Toronto and was non-tendered by the team in November after an elbow injury sidelined the right-hander for most of the 2024 season.
Romano's surgically repaired elbow was concern enough that the Phillies added an additional $500,000 in incentives for pitching 60 innings next season. After passing his physical on Monday, all signs point to the Phillies' new addition being healthy and ready to go when pitchers and catchers arrive in Clearwater for spring training. With two All-Star selections and 105 career saves, the Phillies are clearly confident in Romano's ability to bounce back and be an important bullpen contributor next season.
It's almost certain that a number of teams had interest in signing Romano this offseason. With top tier free agent closers like Tanner Scott, Kenley Jansen and former Phillies closer Carlos Estévez likely to fetch hefty multi-year contracts this winter, teams like the Phillies saw an opportunity to sign Romano to a reasonable contract without being tied to a long-term commitment.
Jordan Romano says all the right things about coming to Philadelphia
With three consecutive playoff appearances, the Phillies were obviously an attractive landing spot for a free agent like Romano. With the Phillies still in the midst of a shrinking competitive window, Romano gave himself a good chance of playing meaningful baseball in October next year. While speaking to the media via Zoom call on Tuesday, Romano detailed an experience at Citizens Bank Park last season that made a strong impression on his free agent decision.
"I remember we played there (Citizens Bank Park) last year and I think it was a Tuesday or Wednesday day game," said Romano. "And I mean, the place was absolutely sold out. The atmosphere, I mean, just electric. And kind of coming off that series, I was always like 'If I ever got the chance to play here, I think I'd really enjoy it.'"
Romano's enthusiasm toward Phillies fans was evident in his comments, and now, with a new fan base firmly on his side, Romano is well aware that performing at a high level is part of the expectations that come with playing in a sports-obsessed city like Philadelphia.
"I think there's a standard in Philly," offered Romano. "A standard with the players. I guess the city, the fans. It's a high level of performance, a lot of expectations to win, and I feel like I have the same expectations myself. So I feel like those views are aligned there. And I guess thirdly, just the team in general, just talent everywhere. It's a team built to win the World Series. So I felt like it would be a great spot for me to go join and help contribute to wins."
The Phillies removed one question mark about how the bullpen mix will look when they signed Romano earlier this week. With plenty of rumors connecting the Phillies to a wide variety of trades and free agents (subscription required), according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb, it likely won't be the last. That being said, we can only hope that other free agents interested in joining the Phillies share Romano's enthusiasm and understanding of what it takes to thrive in one of the toughest places to play in Major League Baseball.