Jordan Romano

Blue Jays Sign Mike Mayers To Minor League Deal

By Darragh McDonald | March 19, 2024 at 4:55pm CDT

The Blue Jays announced that they have signed Mike Mayers to a minor league deal. The right-hander has also received an invite to major league Spring Training.

Mayers, 32, is coming off a rough couple of seasons. He signed a minor league deal with the Royals last year and was added to their big league roster to serve in a swing role, but posted an earned run average of 6.15 in 26 1/3 innings over six appearances. His 8.4% walk rate was fine but his 14.3% strikeout rate was well below average. He was outrighted off the roster in June and later traded to the White Sox, putting up poor numbers for the Triple-A affiliates of both clubs, finishing with a combined 6.12 ERA at that level.

With the Angels the year before, he tossed 50 2/3 innings with a 5.68 ERA. His 20.2% strikeout rate was better in that season but 20.8% of his fly balls allowed went over the fence, almost double his 12.1% rate from 2023.

The Jays will undoubtedly be hoping for Mayers to return to his 2020-21 form. Over those two seasons, he made 101 appearances for the Halos and logged 105 innings. He posted a 3.34 ERA in that time, striking out 30.5% of opponents while walking just 8%. He moved up the bullpen chart for the Angels in that time, earning four saves and 22 holds.

Per the data at Statcast, his velocity ticked down as his results went south. His fastball velo was above 94 miles per hour in 2020 and 2021 but dropped to 93.5 mph in 2022 and 92.9 mph last year. His slider, cutter and changeup also lost a tick or two over the past two seasons, while his curveball went up slightly in 2022 before dropping in 2023.

Mayers has recently been getting some work in with Driveline Baseball, as they tweeted out some footage of him throwing, as relayed by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. It seems the Jays were intrigued enough by his recent form to bring him into camp.

That may have been at least partially motivated by some recent developments to players on their roster. Per Matheson, righties Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are dealing with arm issues, right elbow inflammation for the former and forearm tightness for the latter. Each player underwent an MRI without finding any structural issues, but the club may be precautious with them in the meantime.

If either or both of those guys miss time, the club will have to rely on its depth. Mayers will now jump into that mix and try to earn his way onto the roster. If he does so, he is out of options but he has just under five years of service time. That means the Jays could retain him for 2025 via arbitration if he earns a roster spot and things go especially well this year.

Blue Jays Place Jordan Romano On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | July 29, 2023 at 1:44pm CDT

The Blue Jays announced that closer Jordan Romano has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to lower back inflammation. Righty Nate Pearson was called up from Triple-A to take Romano’s spot on the active roster.

Romano was clearly struggling through Friday’s outing, as he allowed two singles and a walk over two-thirds of an inning before departing the game. However, lower back problems also forced Romero to make an early exit from the All-Star Game, and he didn’t make his second-half debut until nine days after the Midsummer Classic. It seemed as though Romero and the Jays had successfully managed the problem without an IL stint, yet the right-hander will now miss at least the next 15 days.

It could be that a proper IL trip will fully correct Romano’s back issue, and he’ll return in due course to help the Blue Jays during their playoff push. Unfortunately for the Jays, they’ll have to make do without their star closer for over two weeks, which could be a tricky proposition for a club in a tight postseason race, and considering the Blue Jays’ tendency to play close games.

Romano’s 28 saves tied him with Felix Bautista and Emmanuel Clase for the AL lead, and the Toronto reliever has backed up his ninth-inning record with a 2.79 ERA over 42 innings. A below-average 8.5% walk rate is the only real blemish on Romano’s otherwise strong Statcast page, and he has blossomed into one of baseball’s better relievers since taking over the Blue Jays’ close role in 2021.

The Jays bullpen has quietly posted some very impressive numbers in 2023, so Toronto might have enough depth to make up for Romano’s absence if he only misses 15 days. Erik Swanson is probably the likeliest candidate for save opportunities, but the Blue Jays might turn to any of Swanson, Tim Mayza, Yimi Garcia, or Pearson rather than establish a set closer.

Outside help could also come before August 1, as is often the case when any contending team suffers a notable injury this close to the trade deadline. Even with the Jays’ quality bullpen results, it’s safe to assume that the club (like basically every contender) is exploring additional relief depth, and Romano’s injury might make the Jays more aggressive in seeking out another extra arm. Chad Green is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and is expected to make his Blue Jays debut at some point in August, so Toronto also has an interesting in-house reliever on the verge of joining the mix.

AL East Notes: Rays, Mullins, Mountcastle, Romano

By Nick Deeds | July 16, 2023 at 8:33am CDT

While the Rays are typically known for making careful, calculated moves in order to maximize long-term success, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times discussed yesterday the possibility of Tampa making a splash in the trade market prior to the trade deadline on August 1 by pursuing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, on whom the Angels are expected to consider offers.

Such a move would be a major departure from the club’s typical model, though president of baseball operations Erik Neander and his front office have shown a willingness to be more aggressive in recent years. Trading promising right-hander Joe Ryan for Nelson Cruz ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, extending Wander Franco on an 11-year deal that offseason, and pursuing Freddie Freeman in free agency are all signs from the relatively recent past that the Rays could be willing to take bigger swings in their pursuit of a World Series championship, and there’s no acquisition that would move the needle more than Ohtani.

While the club certainly has the pieces necessary to swing a deal for Ohtani between a farm system that ranks 8th in the majors per Fangraphs and a deep group of position players at the big league level, Topkin cautions that the Rays are highly unlikely to enter a bidding war for Ohtani as the club wouldn’t be able to retain the superstar in free agency. Between that unwillingness to beat out other potential suitors like the Yankees and Dodgers for Ohtani and the considerable chance that the Angels don’t move him at all, as they’re currently sitting just one game under .500 and five games back of a Wild Card berth, Ohtani in a Rays uniform certainly seems unlikely.

More from around the AL East…

Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins exited yesterday’s game with right quad tightness, as noted by MASN’s Roch Kubatko. Mullins is currently considered day-to-day, and the club will check in with him today to determine the severity of the injury. Manager Brandon Hyde expressed optimism following yesterday’s game, telling reporters (including Kubatko) that the club is “hoping we caught a break there.” Fortunately for the Orioles, they boast a deep group of position players that can help cover for Mullins in the event he misses time, though properly replacing a strong defensive center fielder with a 123 wRC+ is easier said than done.
Sticking with the Orioles, the club has been taking things slowly with first baseman Ryan Mountcastle as he returns from a month on the injured list due to vertigo. While Mountcastle has looked good in limited time since coming off the IL, with a single and a double in five trips to the plate, Kubatko notes that his ability to reclaim a full-time role has been further complicated by the emergence of Ryan O’Hearn as a legitimate starting option. In 156 plate appearances this season, O’Hearn has slashed an impressive .310/.359/.528 with a wRC+ of 143, albeit in a strictly platoon role. Though Mountcastle currently seems poised to see most of his starts come against southpaws, Hyde indicated that setup may not be permanent, telling reporters that he’s “sure” Mountcastle will get some starts against same-handed pitching and that “we’ll see how the second half goes.”
Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano exited the All-Star game last week due to lower back tightness and has since undergone an MRI, as relayed by SportsCentre’s Scott Mitchell. Manager John Schneider told reporters, including Mitchell, that the imaging came back clean and Romano is currently considered day-to-day. Romano has established himself as one of the league’s best closers over the past four seasons, pitching to a 2.21 ERA (190 ERA+) and a 3.01 FIP while racking up 87 saves. In the event the right-hander is unavailable, Erik Swanson and Yimi Garcia appear to be the most likely candidates to handle the ninth.

AL Notes: Urias, Ortiz, Romano, Red Sox, Springs

By Mark Polishuk | April 15, 2023 at 9:00pm CDT

Ramon Urias is in concussion protocol after a scary incident in the Orioles’ 7-6 loss to the White Sox today. Urias was hit in the head by a Kendall Graveman fastball in the seventh inning of the game, but fortunately the infielder was able to leave the field under his own power. At the very least, Urias certainly doesn’t look like he’ll be playing in Sunday’ game, and it remains to be seen if a stint on the seven-day concussion-related injury list is necessary. Urias had a single and two walks prior to his HBP today, boosting the Gold Glover’s slash line to a productive .250./.388/.400 over his first 49 plate appearances of the season.

Infielder Joey Ortiz would be the roster replacement if Urias is sidelined, as MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko was among the reporters who noted that Ortiz was removed from the lineup for Triple-A Norfolk tonight. Since the Orioles don’t play on Monday, it’s possible the club might not make a roster move prior to Sunday’s game, in order to give Urias more time to recover and undergo further examination in the hopes that an IL stint could be avoided. Ortiz has yet to make his MLB debut, and is yet another talented youngster from Baltimore’s farm system — both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America included Ortiz near the end of their preseason top-100 prospect lists.

List Of All-Star Roster Replacements

By Mark Polishuk | July 17, 2022 at 7:27pm CDT

7:25PM: Freddie Freeman is also joining the NL roster, as the league announced that the Dodgers first baseman is replacing Starling Marte.

4:04PM: The league announced that the Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas has now been added to the NL roster, taking the spot of Brewers righty Corbin Burnes.

July 17, 1:15PM: The Mariners have announced that Ty France will be joining the festivities as well. MLB later announced the addition as well, noting that he is replacing Mike Trout. With Trout not taking part, Byron Buxton will move into the starting center fielder role for the American League.

10:05AM: MLB has announced three more additions, with one of them being the previously reported addition of Williams. The other two are closers: Liam Hendriks of the White Sox and Jordan Romano of the Blue Jays. Those three will replace Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Max Fried.

July 16, 11:01PM: Brewers reliever Devin Williams has also been named to the NL roster, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link).

7:11:PM: Four replacements were announced to the All-Star rosters, taking the spots of four other players who won’t be part of the Midsummer Classic. Dodgers left-hander Tyler Anderson, Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth, and Braves third baseman Austin Riley will be joining the National League’s team, while Blue Jays second baseman Santiago Espinal has been named to the American League’s roster.

Espinal is replacing Jose Altuve, who was hit in the knee by a pitch on Thursday. Altuve sat out Friday’s action and is back in the Astros lineup tonight as the DH, but even though he is well enough to play, Altuve and the Astros will use the All-Star break to get the second baseman fully back to 100 percent. Altuve had been voted in as the AL’s starter at second baseman, but now the Guardians’ Andres Gimenez take over as the starter for Tuesday’s game.

Jazz Chisholm was voted as the NL’s starting second baseman, but the Marlins standout will also be missing the game due to his lower back injury. Chisholm has been on the 10-day injured list since June 28, but he has been working out at the Marlins’ spring camp, and taking part in baseball activities. There isn’t a set timeline for Chisholm’s return, but the team is hopeful Chisholm can be activated for the start of the second half. With Chisholm out, Jeff McNeil becomes the NL’s new starter at the keystone, while Cronenworth will take over the backup infield role.

Giants lefty Carlos Rodon is also battling injury, opening the door for Anderson to receive the first All-Star nod of his seven-year career. Rodon has both a blister and a split nail on the middle finger of his throwing hand, and told Henry Schulman and other reporters that he is skipping the ASG in order to give the injury time to properly heal. There isn’t yet any indication that Rodon might require a visit to the injured list, and since Rodon last pitched on Thursday, he’ll receive at least a full week off between starts.

Riley was perhaps the most prominent omission from the original All-Star roster, given how the Braves slugger has posted some huge numbers over the first half. However, as it often the case with “snubs,” the situation sorted itself out once other players started to drop out. Riley will be taking the place of Nolan Arenado, as the Cardinals third baseman will use the break to rest a lingering back problem.

Jordan Romano Underwent Offseason Knee Surgery

By Steve Adams | December 14, 2021 at 9:22am CDT

Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano enjoyed a breakout 2021 season in which he led the team with 23 saves, pitched to a 2.14 ERA and struck out more than a third of his opponents. It was an impressive enough campaign based on those numbers alone, but Romano tells Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun that an MRI conducted after the season revealed a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery. Romano believes the injury occurred in the team’s return game at the Rogers Centre while he was covering first base, which would mean he pitched the final two months of the year with some degree of a tear in his knee.

Playing through the discomfort didn’t seem to hinder the 28-year-old’s performance, however. Romano pitched to a pristine 1.69 ERA following that late-July appearance — including an 11-inning scoreless stretch to close out the 2021 season. His velocity, meanwhile, continued to build as the season wore on. He averaged a huge 97.9 mph on his heater following the knee injury. Romano and the Jays knew he wasn’t at 100 percent down the stretch, as he tells Longley they “worked hard on just getting it stable enough to be able to throw on it for the rest of the season.”

Now six weeks out from surgery, Romano is on pace for a normal Spring Training and 2022 season — assuming the lockout is resolved in time. If that’s indeed the case, he’ll head to Dunedin assured a high-leverage role in the Jays’ bullpen again, having turned in dominant results in both 2020 and 2021. While this past season was Romano’s first full year of big league success, he also tossed 14 2/3 innings with a 1.23 ERA back in 2020. Overall, he boasts a 1.97 ERA with a 34.2% strikeout rate, a 9.7% walk rate and a 48.8% ground-ball rate in his past 77 2/3 big league innings.

The former tenth-rounder’s recent breakout could well have happened with another club, as the Jays left him unprotected in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft. The White Sox selected Romano and quickly flipped him to the Rangers for cash, but Texas cut him late in camp and returned him to Toronto after he went unclaimed on waivers. Romano was in the big leagues three months later, and while he struggled during his initial 2019 debut, he now looks entrenched as a vital late-inning arm for manager Charlie Montoyo.

With two years and 51 days of Major League service time, Romano isn’t yet arbitration-eligible and won’t reach free agency until the completion of the 2025 campaign. That, of course, is assuming the current arbitration structure and free agency qualifications remain unchanged in the next collective bargaining agreement.

Whether Romano will reprise his role as closer likely depends on the Blue Jays’ moves once the lockout is lifted. Toronto already added one veteran reliever, signing Yimi Garcia to a two-year pact, and they’ve added some depth with a minor league deal for David Phelps and a waiver claim (and subsequent outright) of Shaun Anderson. Still, there’s ample room for another addition of note. Romano, Garcia, lefty Tim Mayza and in-season acquisitions Adam Cimber and Trevor Richards all enjoyed excellent 2021 campaigns — but the rest of the bullpen still carries some uncertainty.

Longley also chatted with Romano about his offseason training, his 2022 goals and the 2021 Jays falling one game shy of the playoffs in a separate interview that Jays fans, in particular, will want to check out.

GM Ross Atkins On Blue Jays’ Winter Goals

By TC Zencka | November 13, 2021 at 9:18am CDT

The Blue Jays would love to add an infielder to complement their current mix of young gloves in the dirt, but it’s not a necessity, says GM Ross Atkins, per Scott Mitchell of TSN. That includes, of course, a potential reunion with Marcus Semien, though having a versatile defensive player like Cavan Biggio on the roster gives Atkins some flexibility. Filling Semien’s spot at the keystone is the natural place to add an infielder, but Biggio could slide to second, opening the hot corner for a bigger fish like Matt Chapman of the A’s, whom Mitchell speculates could be a target.

Of course, injuries limited the 26-year-old Biggio to just 79 games last season and a .224/.322/.356 batting line, so an argument could be made to look for an upgrade at third base regardless of what happens at second. Wherever they make additions, for the second consecutive winter, the Blue Jays are no doubt buyers in this free agent market. If not another infielder, Toronto will surely explore rotation and bullpen upgrades, notes Mitchell.

Specifically, Atkins did not rule out getting a more established closer that might bump Jordan Romano from the role that he stepped into last season. Romano notched 23 games for the Jays last season, but he also picked up a handful of holds while only recording a single blown save. Steady as he was, there is no such thing as too many high leverage arms.

Blue Jays Select A.J. Cole, Move Alejandro Kirk To 60-Day IL

By TC Zencka | May 9, 2021 at 12:18pm CDT

MAY 9: Dolis is indeed being placed on the IL to open active roster space for Nate Pearson, who’s getting the start this afternoon, Mitchell tweets.

MAY 8, 4:18 pm: Dolis isn’t yet heading to the injured list, manager Charlie Montoyo told TSN’s Scott Mitchell and other reporters. Dolis has a Grade 1 calf strain but the team is hopeful that he can recover within a few days.

MAY 8, 3:11 pm: The Blue Jays will place reliever Rafael Dolis on the 10-day injured list after he injured his calf in yesterday’s ballgame. A.J. Cole will be added to the roster, per Ben Wagner of Sportsnet (via Twitter). Ty Tice, meanwhile has been optioned to Triple-A after four appearances, and Alejandro Kirk was moved to the 60-day injured list, per Scott Mitchell of TSN sports (via Twitter).

It seems that the back end of Toronto’s bullpen is a touch snakebit this season. It started with losing free agent signing Kirby Yates to Tommy John surgery, but since the season started, alternative high-leverage options Jordan Romano, Julian Merryweather, and now Dolis have all spent time on the injured list.

Dolis has been a workhorse early on, appearing in 15 of the Blue Jays’ 31 games so far this season. He’s totaled 12 2/3 innings with a 4.26 ERA/4.66 FIP, three saves and a hold. Dolis has been the acting closer of late, though Romano is now back off the injured list and could take on a bigger role in Dolis’ absence.

Cole could also be an option for some high-leverage opportunities, as the 29-year-old has performed well the past couple of seasons. With Toronto in 2020, Cole logged 23 1/3 innings in 24 appearances with a 3.09 ERA/4.31 FIP.

East Notes: McHugh, Orioles, Nationals, Sanchez, Jays

By Anthony Franco | April 18, 2021 at 2:55pm CDT

The Rays placed reliever Collin McHugh on the 10-day injured list with a back strain, relays Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Fellow righty Chris Mazza, who had recently been optioned, was recalled to take his place in the bullpen. It’s yet another injury for the Rays’ relief core, which had already lost Nick Anderson, Chaz Roe and Pete Fairbanks in the season’s early going. McHugh, signed to a one-year deal over the offseason, has pitched 5.1 innings for Tampa Bay to this point, allowing eight runs (six earned) but striking out five with just one walk issued.

More out of the AL and NL East:

Orioles outfielder Austin Hays looks likely to be activated from the injured list on Tuesday, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The 25-year-old was placed on the IL a little less than two weeks ago due to a hamstring strain, but it seems he’ll make a return in short order. Hays has played in exhibition games at the alternate training site in each of the past two days without issue, Kubatko notes. The Orioles also optioned right-hander Dean Kremer to the alternate site after his start last night in Texas, per Kubatko. A pair of scheduled off days obviate the need for a fifth starter, so Baltimore recalled Cole Sulser to add to the relief corps for now.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez provided updates on a pair of sidelined pitchers this afternoon (via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Starter Jon Lester will throw an 80-pitch simulated game on Tuesday as he builds up strength from a stint on the COVID-19 injured list. Lester is the only Washington player who remains sidelined from the team’s coronavirus situation at the beginning of the year. Reliever Will Harris, meanwhile, threw a 26-pitch bullpen session this morning and is again scheduled to do so Tuesday. The veteran righty has yet to make his season debut after undergoing surgery in late March.
The Nationals also remain in contact with the representatives for free agent right-hander Aníbal Sánchez, reports Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The veteran, who pitched for Washington from 2019-20, had been expected to sign earlier this month but he cut his finger during a showcase for teams, delaying those plans.
The Blue Jays placed reliever Jordan Romano on the injured list on Thursday, but the team is hopeful he’ll return when first eligible April 25, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet was among those to note (Twitter links). Fellow righty Tyler Chatwood should also return in short order, while flamethrower Nate Pearson is in line to throw live batting practice Tuesday as he builds back from the groin injury that has delayed his season debut.

Blue Jays Place Ross Stripling, Jordan Romano On 10-Day IL

By Connor Byrne | April 15, 2021 at 6:40pm CDT

The injuries continue to pile up for the Blue Jays, who announced that they’ve placed right-handers Ross Stripling and Jordan Romano on the 10-day injured list. The team recalled lefty Anthony Kay and righty Joel Payamps to take the open roster spots.

There is no word on how much time Stripling and Romano will miss, but the fact that they’re dealing with arm injuries is certainly cause for concern. Stripling has a flexor strain, while Romano has ulnar neuritis.

Stripling has been part of the Blue Jays’ rotation this season, though he has slumped to a 7.55 ERA with 13 hits allowed over 8 1/3 innings and two starts. So far, it’s the second straight tough year for Stripling, formerly a useful swingman with the Dodgers who could only muster a 5.84 ERA in 49 1/3 innings between Los Angeles and Toronto in 2020.

The loss of Romano is another serious blow to a Jays bullpen that saw fellow late-game arm Julian Merryweather go to the IL on Wednesday with an oblique strain. Kirby Yates was supposed to be Toronto’s closer this season, but he went down before it began on account of Tommy John surgery, which immediately made Romano and Merryweather logical options to save games. Merryweather won the role, but despite control problems (three walks in 3 1/3 innings), Romano has still only allowed one run and totaled four strikeouts.

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