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Former Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is experiencing old aches on the mound
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Photo credit: © John Jones-Imagn Images
Nick Prasad
Apr 17, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 16, 2026, 19:50 EDT
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Things may be a bit rough in the world of the Toronto Blue Jays right now, and that extends to former players as well. Toronto’s former closer, Jordan Romano, is still haunted by struggles in his role at the Major League level.
The Canadian right-handed reliever was a phenomenon early in his career with the Blue Jays. You can’t discount his ability, metrics, or previous performance. The current Los Angeles Angels reliever showed promising results each season, starting in 2021 with Toronto. He went 7–1 in 2021 with 23 saves, followed by 36 saves in 2022 and another 36 in 2023.
As time went on, that dominance began to slip, leading to consistent mistakes on the mound, injuries, and growing unreliability. The Jays eventually parted ways with the right-hander, with his next stop being Philadelphia.
Romano’s time with the Phillies offered a fresh start, a clean slate, and a new outlook. He was not only on a new team, but also in the National League. However, due to injury and continued struggles, that stint was short-lived.
He finished his Phillies tenure with 42 2/3 innings pitched, eight saves, and three blown saves. The overall outlook for Romano was poor, as trust in him as a closer diminished. Upon reaching free agency last winter, Romano was given new life, this time with the Angels in Los Angeles.

Jordan Romano may be seeing the start of a familiar nightmare

You can’t question the right-hander’s ability to throw a baseball. His mechanics are clean, his delivery is repeatable, and his arm strength still generates impressive velocity. However, he has taken some velocity off his four-seam fastball, now sitting three to four miles per hour lower than before. From 2021 to 2023, Romano regularly touched 101 mph and sat around 98. Now, he’s closer to 96–97 mph.
In 2026, the Angels’ right-hander started the season on a strong note, pitching 2 2/3 innings across three appearances without allowing a run. He extended that stretch to six scoreless outings and collected four saves. But it only took two recent appearances to bring back memories of late-game meltdowns.
On April 13 against the New York Yankees, Romano was handed the ball in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead, the Angels up 10–8. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled on a middle-middle fastball on the third pitch. Trent Grisham then hit a game-tying home run on a fifth-pitch slider down in the zone. José Caballero followed with a double to left on another slider in the zone. That sequence led to two more walks, and Caballero eventually scored on a walk-off wild pitch.
Then in Game 3 of the series, the Angels again entered the bottom of the ninth with a 4–3 lead at Yankee Stadium, with Romano on the mound to close. With one out, Chisholm Jr. reached on an infield single, stole second base, and was followed by a walk. Another walk-off double sealed yet another Yankees comeback win.
That’s two blown saves in two opportunities, with only 1/3 of an inning recorded across those two appearances in the Bronx. Romano allowed five earned runs on five hits, including a home run.
Looking at these outings, pitch selection and location appear to be the main issues behind the damage. Free passes also played a role, with three walks and an inability to control the running game.
How can he fix it?
Staying off the heart of the zone, mixing in more off-speed pitches, and getting ahead in the count would help. Romano has added a changeup this season to complement his fastball and slider, which have both been less effective.
After a strong start to the season, the former Blue Jay now appears to be reliving the ghosts of his past. Two blown saves in dramatic fashion could signal the start of another downward spiral. If adjustments aren’t made quickly, things could snowball into familiar territory.

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