Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano leaves All-Star game with back tightness

What had been a few days of fun in Seattle for Toronto Blue Jays fans quickly became anything but on Tuesday night.

With the American League up 2-1 entering the top of the seventh right after a Bo Bichette sacrifice fly regained the AL their lead, Jordan Romano entered the game.

Romano, the Toronto Blue Jays’ closer, got Will Smith to fly out on three pitches, and then faced off against former teammate Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. Romano’s first pitch was a 94.8 MPH fastball outside and off the plate, and he returned with an up-and-in slider on his second. Gurriel got underneath it and while initially called a home run on the field, a review showed the ball cut in front of the foul pole line.

But as the broadcast joked about whether or not the ball was fair, a member of the American League training staff — along with manager Dusty Baker — went to the mound to check on Romano. Shortly thereafter, he was pulled from the game and walked off under his own power.

A clip posted by FOX Sports: MLB showed Romano moving gingerly right after the home run, and the broadcast mentioned that he had mentioned towards his back. Soon after, the same account posted an interview Ken Rosenthal did with Baker.

“We’re not really sure (what happened),” Baker told Rosenthal. “He threw his last pitch in the bullpen before he went out there and said he had a little tightness in his lower back.

“We got to take every precaution to take care of these players, even if they’re on another team because they got to go back and play for their own team. We hope that it’s nothing.”

It goes without saying but any player suffering an injury during All-Star weekend is nothing short of significant concern.

Romano isn’t the only person who has gotten knicked up this weekend. Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. — who hit 50 home runs in the first and second round of the derby Monday night, which was later won by Vladimir Gurerro Jr. — had an MRI on his right calf after experiencing tightness during the derby. Robert Jr. was pulled from Tuesday’s game for precautionary reasons, and has been listed as day-to-day.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.