Jordan Romano is finding a groove with the Los Angeles Angels this season, but the former Blue Jays closer caught up with Whit Merrifield and Lindsay Dunn on the 6ix Inning Stretch podcast to go through some old memories when the two were teammates on the Jays a few years back.

On the podcast, Romano acknowledged a hospital visit that turned out to be quite serious in nature while he was working as the Jays closer.

“I was pitching a lot,” explained Romano to Merrifield and Dunn. “And this European body is barely hanging on. I was taking a lot of caffeine, anti-inflammatories, and a lot of BioSteel… 7 to 8 Biosteels a day with a lot of throwing. I wake up one day, and I think I tore my oblique is torn… they do some testing, and they (Jays) think my appendix has burst. I got to the ER, and my appendix is fine. But the pain is excruciating.

“So they gave me a shot of Toradol. I go back to the game. I am ready to throw, drink my Biosteel. I was in the ER for the first five innings, come back, Toradol, let’s go. I didn’t need to pitch (that night), and then they (Jays) are like, ‘We need to get you in for further testing’. So apparently, because I was taking so many anti-inflammatories and caffeine, my kidneys were shutting down and very inflamed. I went to a kidney specalist and they recommended no physical activity for six months… I had to get IV’s for a full month and had to monitor my creatine levels. But we got through it. I just couldn’t take any more anti-inflammatories or caffeine. Had to drink more water.”

Romano had mentioned to the podcast crew that this was three to four years ago, which would have put him in the 2022 to 2023 range, when the right-hander was riding back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Blue Jays. Merrifield was a member of the Blue Jays for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The Markham, Ontario product spent six years with the Jays, becoming the go-to closer during the 2021 season. He amassed 105 saves during his time with the Jays and pitched to a 2.90 ERA with a 3.53 FIP and a 1.141 WHIP. Injuries derailed his 2024 season, limiting him to just 13 2/3 innings before the Jays non-tendered him before the offseason.

Romano spent the entire 2025 season with the Philadelphia Phillies, posting an 8.23 ERA with a 5.39 FIP across 49 outings and signed with the Los Angeles Angels this past winter. Through six outings in the AL East, Romano owns a perfect ERA and has allowed zero hits and just walks through five innings while striking out seven.

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