Philly's Phillies Swallow Potential Hurdles by Acquiring Injury-Prone Reliever Jordan Romano
The Philly Phanatics might wanna brace themselves because the Philly bullpen didn't exactly wow us during the 2024 postseason. With new closer Jordan Romano joining the crew, hoping for a little more stability and quality in the bullpen is definitely on the menu. But there's a catch. Ya see, Romano's got a sketchy injury history, which we'll dive into later.
The city of brotherly love ain't always been friendly to relievers though. The Phils had a golden ticket to the National League East last year, with a solid record of 95-67—six games better than both the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. But they still found themselves losing the 2024 National League Division Series to the Mets, 3-1. And right before that, they were facing some difficulties in the 2023 National League Championship Series against the Diamondbacks, losing that series, 4-3.
Now, we gotta give a shout-out to Dave Dombrowski, the dude in charge of baseball operations for the Phils. He's seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to juggling relief pitchers in his years with the Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and, most recently, the Phils.
Dombrowski's been shaking things up in the Phils' bullpen for the 2025 season. Sayonara to right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman who, despite some pretty decent stats with the Phils last season, decided to play for the Toronto Blue Jays instead, signing a three-year, $3 million contract. Hoffman made 68 appearances for the Phils, earning 13 saves, with a 2.17 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP—decent numbers, but his injury risks are real[1][3].
The same goes for new Blue Jay and former Phil, right-hander Carlos Estevez. He played 20 games after coming over from the Dodgers in a July 27 trade, but he's moved on, signing a two-year, $22 million contract with the Kansas City Royals where he'll likely step into the closer role.
Now, let's talk about a few new arms joining the Phils' bullpen, starting with Jordan Romano—a former Blue Jays closer who's now on the Phils' payroll at $8.5 million for the 2025 season. It's ironic how life works sometimes, huh? As you may have guessed, the right-handed Romano has his issues with the injuries, which we'll delve into later.
Another addition to the crowd is Joe Ross. The 31-year-old, right-handed Ross will take on a significant role in the Phils' bullpen, and while he could eventually become a starter, he's starting off on the bullpen tracks this season.
Taking into account the injury-prone history of Spencer Turnbull, Ross might fill the swingman starter/reliever role that Turnbull occupied last year.
Based on fangraphs.com's predictions, the probable opening day bullpen for the Phils looks like this:
- Jordan Romano (RHP), assuming the closer role
- Orion Kerkering (RHP), a late-inning set-up man
- José Alvarado (LHP), approximately for middle innings relief
- José Ruiz (RHP), middle innings reliever
- Tanner Banks (LHP), middle innings reliever
- Joe Ross (RHP), middle innings reliever
- Kyle Tyler (RHP), middle innings reliever
- Taijuan Walker (RHP), long reliever
The Phillies relievers managed to save 37 games in 2024, but that was far from the glory that Ron Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed with his 49 saves in the same year[4]. It's worth noting that the Phils have got an awesome starting staff on their hands, which includes:
- Zack Wheeler (RHP), age 34
- Christopher Sanchez (LHP), age 28
- Aaron Nola (RHP), age 31
- Ranger Suarez (LHP), age 29
- Jesus Luzardo (LHP), age 27
The intriguing Luzardo joined the Phils in a trade with the Miami Marlins. The team's hitters might be decent enough to put runs on the board, so it's up to the Phils' bullpen to close games out, particularly their new closer, Jordan Romano. The big question remains: Will Romano's injury history hold him back from being the reliable closer the Phils are hoping for?
The bullpen situation will become a little easier for manager Rob Thomson if the team's offense manages to score in bunches, taking some pressure off Romano and the rest of the bullpen. Until then, fans can anticipate both exciting moments and nail-biting stress as the Phils' bullpen navigates the challenges of the 2025 season.
Enrichment Data:
Injury History of Jordan Romano
Jordan Romano, the new Phils' closer, has faced a series of elbow injuries that have disrupted his success.
- 2024 Season: Romano missed most of the 2024 season due to a right elbow issue, requiring arthroscopic surgery in July. He played just 15 games in 2024, posting a 6.59 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Despite his injury, he managed to save 8 games[1][2].
- Previous Seasons: Prior to the 2024 season, Romano established himself as a reliable closer for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2021 to 2023, recording 95 saves with a 2.37 ERA and a 2021 and 2022 All-Star nod. His elbow injury in 2024 caused him to become a non-tender with the Blue Jays[1][4].
Impact on Performance
- Recent Performance: Since his return to action following surgery, Romano has displayed encouraging signs in his spring training debut, with a shutout inning and a fastball speed of 98 mph, showing promising signs of regaining his form[2].
- Future Prospects: The Phillies' faith in Romano's potential to rebound from injury is demonstrated by their $8.5 million contract. If Romano can find the form he showcased prior to his injury, he could become a valuable asset to the Phils' bullpen[1][4].
- The injury-prone history of Jordan Romano, the new closer for the Philadelphia Phillies, includes arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in 2024, which caused him to miss most of the season and play only 15 games with a 6.59 ERA.
- Despite Romano's injury history, the Philadelphia Phillies have shown faith in his potential to rebound from injury, signing him to a $8.5 million contract for the 2025 season.
- The nightmarish injury history of relievers in the city of brotherly love continues with the addition of Romanon, whose sketchy injury history, starting with his 2024 elbow issue, could pose significant risks for the Philadelphia bullpen in the 2025 season.
