The Phillies announced that they have recalled right-hander Daniel Robert and selected the contract of fellow righty Lou Trivino. In corresponding moves, righty Joe Ross has been released and Jordan Romano has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right middle finger inflammation. Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported many of these details prior to the official announcement.
The Phils signed Ross to a one-year, $4MM deal in the offseason. He had missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to injuries but had bounced back with a solid 2024 campaign. He tossed 74 innings for the Brewers as a swingman with a 3.77 earned run average.
He has been in the Philadelphia bullpen all year, apart from a brief IL stint due to back spasms, often providing the club with more than a single frame. On the whole, he has thrown 51 innings over 37 appearances with a 5.12 ERA. His 7.9% walk rate and 45.5% ground ball rate are decent figures but his 17.1% strikeout rate has been subpar.
The length provided by Ross has occasionally been useful in sparing the rest of the bullpen from greater wear and tear but that should be less of a concern going forward. On September 1st, rosters expand from 26 to 28, which will allow teams to carry 14 pitchers instead of the usual maximum of 13.
By cutting Ross today, the Phils are giving him a chance to land somewhere else. Given his salary and unimpressive results this year, he will likely clear waivers, if he hasn’t already. That will leave the Phils on the hook for the majority of what is still to be paid out. Any other club could sign Ross and would only owe him the prorated portion of the league minimum salary for any time spent on the roster. If he signs somewhere else before September 1st, even on a minor league deal, he would be postseason eligible with that club.
Romano was also signed to a one-year deal this offseason, his coming with an $8.5MM guarantee. His results have been far worse than Ross’s, as he has an 8.23 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. That has many Philly fans clamoring for him to be cut but there’s more reason for optimism under the hood with Romano, despite the awful ERA.
His 25.1% strikeout rate this year isn’t as good as his previous benchmark but is still above average, while his 9.1% walk rate is near par. He’s been undercut by an extremely unfortunate 49% strand rate. ERA estimators such as his 3.62 SIERA suggest he has deserved far better than his ERA. Perhaps he will get a chance to course correct, depending on how long this finger issue lasts.
As part of these moves, Trivino gets back to the big leagues. He was released by the Dodgers about a month ago and then landed a minor league deal with the Phils. Since then, he has tossed seven scoreless Triple-A innings.
His big league work hasn’t been amazing this year. Between the Giants and Dodgers, he has thrown 38 2/3 innings with a 4.42 ERA, 17.2% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate and 35.6% ground ball rate. His larger body of work is better but he missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injury and hasn’t fully bounced back. He came into this year with a 3.86 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate and 47.4% ground ball rate in 284 2/3 career innings.
Photo courtesy of Brad Mills, Imagn Images
Somehow, Romano remains.
They should’ve done the guy a favor and released him. If you thought Walker got abused by the phans, wait’ll the next time Romano gets called on at CBP.
Im a mets fan wondering why they are still carrying romano. Mets cut some of their losses like Blackburn and others.
I mean I’ll take it but not very smart. He really sucks!!
Releasing Ross but not Romano. Curious.
If he’s hurt, why release him? He stinks but they still have to pay him either way. If he never throws another pitch for the Phillies it’s for the best, but if they suddenly need him—or he learns how to pitch—better to keep him for now.
“If he’s hurt, why release him?”
I didn’t know he was hurt (commented before they added that he’s going to the IL), but you’d release him so you could carry someone on the roster who wouldn’t pitch to an 8+ ERA. If they “suddenly need” Romano, they’re in really bad shape. Romano has been maybe the worst reliever in baseball that gets regular appearances, and he’s somehow gotten worse as the season has gone on.
I agree. He’s awful and should never pitch for the Phillies again. But if he’s going on the IL, what difference does it make if they release him now or in a month? I hope they don’t “need” his arm but it’s possible. Why not just hold on to him for the time being, and then release him when they need his roster spot for virtually anything else?
If he should never pitch for them again, there is no reason not to hold onto him. It’s not like he’s going to do some other job with the team.
Precisely why I said he “should never” pitch for them again, not that he won’t ever pitch for them again. He might. I hope not, but it’s possible.
I think Ross was cheaper this year even though they are both sunk costs
Ross needs to come and sign with his Hometown A’s.
Sounds like some Phillies fans have an inflamed middle finger, too.
You are correct. Romano is the worst.
I know I’ve been giving him my middle finger all year
inflammation in his middle finger? hahahaha
more like chronic case of suckitis
They couldn’t wait until Thursday on Romano?
Why would they be moving a player to the IL who isn’t injured?
Romano needs to go! He stinks! Easiest $9-$10MM he’s ever made!
It’s strange because my middle finger hurts while watching him pitch.
See my post below lol
Romano couldn’t make the NJ Jackals bullpen
This is a GLORIOUS cleanse!!!
So the Phils could’ve used any multitude of phantom injuries to IL Romano, the fact that publicly they used “right middle finger inflammation “ was a subtle way of saying “fuddle you Romano “ lol kudos to someone in the media relations department
Romano is on the Injured List , hopefully the 60
day list so we never see him pitch again as a Phillie.
Focus on your Mets, chandlerbing.
Tompson lost the game for the Phillies last night by leaving Sanchez out there past the 3-3 tie. He’s done that to Luzardo a few times too. When I guy doesn’t have it, pull him. But how he’s used Romano is frustrating bc Romano is DONE. No lead is safe, and deficits only get bigger with him on the mound. He should have been cut by the All Star break. Joe Ross, he’ll resurface somewhere but he was a waste in Philly too. The bullpen is the biggest weakness for that team. Duran is great but you need guys to help get to him. Bullpen inefficiency and streaky hitting doesn’t go deep in the playoffs.
It’s really hard to take anyone who doesn’t even know the manager’s name seriously with anything they post….
Sorry for the error and you kindness. I’m taking you as a serious creep but that’s ok, I’m sure you’re perfect in every way. Thank you.
Jordan Romano has pictures of High Pitch Erik in high level security meetings about Kyle Schwarber possibly resigning with the Phillies
Or he’s close friends with Joel Embeed
Its possible that Romano was not dfa or released because he is still owed $ that Phil’s will pay regardless and he converted 8 of 11 saves in 47 innings. And sucked.
By putting him on 15 day IL they still pay him but he cannot pitch for any other team until well after 9/1/25 making him ineligible for playoff rosters just in case dodgers/ brewers/ Mets/ Toronto etc think he’s useful
What playoff contender would possibly waste a roster spot on him? This feels more like a face-saving move by Dombrowski. Romano was supposed to be the team’s closer. Cutting him would be an admission of failure for what was a fairly high profile offseason signing. Instead, he’ll just fade away into the background with a phantom injury and hopefully be forgotten.
The fact that Romano has made 49 appearances with an 8.23 ERA is alarming.
Is Romano on the IL for a sore neck??
Thank god they came up with some way to get Romano off the game day roster.
Max Lazar should have been brought back up
Romano’s strand rate isn’t 49% because of bad luck, it’s because he throws meatballs down the middle while not paying attention to baserunners. At some point, your ERA is so high that no one should care about the underlying metrics. He can’t get anyone out.
Ha, gave him the old “middle finger” inflammation. The Phillies having a little fun with that one.