Jordan Romano’s 2024 season is formally over, Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider informed reporters (together with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) Friday that Romano received’t be activated from the 60-day injured checklist earlier than the common season is out. The nearer underwent an arthroscopic surgical procedure on his proper elbow in early July that got here with a post-procedure shutdown of no less than six weeks. That preliminary timeline has now stretched into September, and whereas Romano has resumed throwing, “it simply didn’t work out with the variety of video games we’ve left and what he’s going to need to verify off the checklist so as to get again,” Schneider mentioned.
The information closes the guide on an altogether disastrous season for the 31-year-old, who posted a 6.59 ERA over solely 13 2/3 innings of Main League motion. Romano started the yr on the 15-day IL as a consequence of some elbow irritation that developed in spring coaching and wasn’t very efficient as soon as he returned to the mound in mid-April. His final season look got here on Could 29, as he returned to the 15-day IL shortly after that. There was some concern that Romano had a extra UCL-related extreme damage earlier than it was determined that arthroscopic surgical procedure was all that was required.
Schneider mentioned Romano would preserve throwing and must be set for a standard offseason, in order that no less than represents some excellent news on the longer-term well being entrance. Nonetheless, it naturally leaves Romano as one of many many query marks the Jays face for 2025 as they work out the best way to rebound from a disappointing marketing campaign. The Blue Jays must overhaul a bullpen that was one of many worst in baseball, and determining the best way to method this overhaul is trickier for the reason that membership doesn’t precisely know what it’s getting from its former nearer.
Davidi means that the Blue Jays may even take into account non-tendering Romano if the staff is just too involved about his well being. This would appear like a fairly aggressive transfer contemplating how properly Romano pitched from 2020-23, and the right-hander isn’t overly costly on paper — Romano is coming into his remaining yr of arbitration eligibility. His lack of manufacturing in 2024 means he’ll obtain a minimal elevate over his present $7.75M wage. That mentioned, the roughly $8M Romano figures to land in 2025 wage may very well be used higher on relievers with fewer damage issues hanging over them heading into one other season. A commerce (albeit a sell-low kind of commerce) or a non-tender may also be viable if Toronto doesn’t plan to retain Romano as soon as he turns into eligible without cost company.