It’s no secret that the Toronto Blue Jays’ off-season shopping list includes finding quite a few relievers.

However, the big question that remains is what will happen to several relievers already on the team that were important pieces for the 2023 bullpen. Erik Swanson finished the season well, but Jordan Romano had an abysmal season &#8211; both in terms of health and performance.
The 2025 season will be the Canadian closer’s final in arbitration, meaning that he’s set to become a free agent at the end.
Let’s take a look at Romano in the latest edition of the annual Player Review series.
<h2>Jordan Romano in 2024:</h2>
ERA: 6.59
Innings pitched: 13.2
fWAR: -0.3
FIP: 6.17
Strikeouts: 10
Walks: 4 
K%: 21%
BB%: 6.5%
WHIP: 1.46
Salary: $7,750,000
In 2023, Romano continued to be one of the league’s dominant relievers, posting a 2.90 ERA and a 3.46 FIP in 59 innings pitched, along with a 29 K% and a 9.7 BB%. While not as dominant as his 2021 season (2.14 EA) or his 2022 season (2.11 ERA), the Markham, Ontario native’s 36 saves were tied for the fifth-most in Major League Baseball.
Unfortunately, his 2024 season got off to a rough start, as he was injured in Spring Training and started the season on the Injured List. Romano returned in mid-April and actually pitched well over his first month of action, rocking a 3.38 ERA and a 3.82 FIP in 10.2 innings pitched, along with a 19.6 K% and a 6.5 BB%.
However, Romano gave up six earned runs in three innings pitched over his final five outings, giving him a season ERA of 6.59 in 13.2 innings pitched, with a 6.17 FIP, a 21 K%, and a 6.5 BB%. He also picked up six saves in nine opportunities.
Romano’s poor injury luck continued at the start of June, as he was placed on the Injured List due to an elbow injury. While ramping back up, Romano was shut down after feeling soreness in his elbow in late June before undergoing elbow surgery (not Tommy John surgery) in early July.
Although it looked as if he’d pitch at the tail end of the season, beginning a throwing program in early September, Romano was officially shut down for the season in early September.
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/projected-arbitration-salaries-for-2025.html">According to MLB Trade Rumors</a>, Romano is expected to make $7.75 million in arbitration, the same salary he had in 2024. The question becomes, is the 31-year-old Canadian a non-tender option?
Quite frankly, it depends on how his elbow is doing. If he’s ready to go for Spring Training, it’d be quite foolish to non-tender one of the best closers over the past five seasons. However, if the elbow injuries continue to plague him throughout the off-season, the Blue Jays could do what the Cleveland Guardians did with Anthony Gose. In the 2022-23 off-season, the Guardians non-tendered the former Blue Jay and elected to sign him to a two-year deal while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
It’s a different scenario as Romano had a different surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for a much shorter timeframe than Tommy John surgery, but it&#8217;s one of many options the Jays have this off-season. Either way, don’t be surprised if Romano returns to the Blue Jays in 2025.
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.
<hr />
<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold">Previously in this series…</h2>
<ul class="mb-5 list-disc pl-8">
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-george-springer-took-another-step-back-offensively" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Player Review: George Springer took another step back offensively</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-chris-bassitt-has-emerged-as-a-valuable-leader-on-the-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Player Review: Chris Bassitt has emerged as a valuable leader on the team</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-daulton-varsho-once-again-dazzled-with-the-glove">Player Review: Daulton Varsho once again dazzled with the glove</a></li>
</ul>

It’s no secret that the Toronto Blue Jays’ off-season shopping list includes finding quite a few relievers.



However, the big question that remains is what will happen to several relievers already on the team that were important pieces for the 2023 bullpen. Erik Swanson finished the season well, but Jordan Romano had an abysmal season - both in terms of health and performance.

The 2025 season will be the Canadian closer’s final in arbitration, meaning that he’s set to become a free agent at the end.

Let’s take a look at Romano in the latest edition of the annual Player Review series.
<h2>Jordan Romano in 2024:</h2>
ERA: 6.59

Innings pitched: 13.2

fWAR: -0.3

FIP: 6.17

Strikeouts: 10

Walks: 4
K%: 21%

BB%: 6.5%

WHIP: 1.46

Salary: $7,750,000

In 2023, Romano continued to be one of the league’s dominant relievers, posting a 2.90 ERA and a 3.46 FIP in 59 innings pitched, along with a 29 K% and a 9.7 BB%. While not as dominant as his 2021 season (2.14 EA) or his 2022 season (2.11 ERA), the Markham, Ontario native’s 36 saves were tied for the fifth-most in Major League Baseball.

Unfortunately, his 2024 season got off to a rough start, as he was injured in Spring Training and started the season on the Injured List. Romano returned in mid-April and actually pitched well over his first month of action, rocking a 3.38 ERA and a 3.82 FIP in 10.2 innings pitched, along with a 19.6 K% and a 6.5 BB%.

However, Romano gave up six earned runs in three innings pitched over his final five outings, giving him a season ERA of 6.59 in 13.2 innings pitched, with a 6.17 FIP, a 21 K%, and a 6.5 BB%. He also picked up six saves in nine opportunities.

Romano’s poor injury luck continued at the start of June, as he was placed on the Injured List due to an elbow injury. While ramping back up, Romano was shut down after feeling soreness in his elbow in late June before undergoing elbow surgery (not Tommy John surgery) in early July.

Although it looked as if he’d pitch at the tail end of the season, beginning a throwing program in early September, Romano was officially shut down for the season in early September.

<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/projected-arbitration-salaries-for-2025.html">According to MLB Trade Rumors</a>, Romano is expected to make $7.75 million in arbitration, the same salary he had in 2024. The question becomes, is the 31-year-old Canadian a non-tender option?

Quite frankly, it depends on how his elbow is doing. If he’s ready to go for Spring Training, it’d be quite foolish to non-tender one of the best closers over the past five seasons. However, if the elbow injuries continue to plague him throughout the off-season, the Blue Jays could do what the Cleveland Guardians did with Anthony Gose. In the 2022-23 off-season, the Guardians non-tendered the former Blue Jay and elected to sign him to a two-year deal while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

It’s a different scenario as Romano had a different surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for a much shorter timeframe than Tommy John surgery, but it's one of many options the Jays have this off-season. Either way, don’t be surprised if Romano returns to the Blue Jays in 2025.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

<hr />

<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold">Previously in this series…</h2>
<ul class="mb-5 list-disc pl-8">
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-george-springer-took-another-step-back-offensively" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Player Review: George Springer took another step back offensively</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-chris-bassitt-has-emerged-as-a-valuable-leader-on-the-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Player Review: Chris Bassitt has emerged as a valuable leader on the team</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-2024-player-review-daulton-varsho-once-again-dazzled-with-the-glove">Player Review: Daulton Varsho once again dazzled with the glove</a></li>
</ul>

Recent articles from Ryley Delaney

Breaking News