Ex-Blue Jays pitcher Jordan Romano gives shoutout to Toronto fans and says he'll miss them
Jordan Romano may no longer be a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, but it’s obvious that the franchise — and its fanbase — still hold a special place in his heart.
Before signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Romano had spent his entire MLB career in Toronto, having been drafted by the franchise in the 10th round of the 2014 Draft out of Oral Roberts University.
Speaking to CityNews’ Lindsay Dunn while at Phillies spring training in Florida, Romano shared his thoughts on his recovery from an injury suffered in his final year in Toronto.
Romano made just 15 appearances for the Jays in 2024, picking up eight saves before eventually seeing his season cut short by an injury to his throwing elbow that required surgery last July.
“It was a tough last year, I had the surgery in July… but I bounced back good, had a pretty normal offseason… [being with the Phillies now] feels really normal, the guys have been super welcoming. Now it’s just playing baseball.”
The Blue Jays ultimately opted to non-tender Romano in November, allowing him to become a free agent for the first time in his career.
“I wasn’t sure [if I was going to stay in Toronto]. It’s in the back of your head. It was definitely a little bit of a shocker. Once I kind of got over that and started throwing off the mound, things picked up. Philly was definitely a place I really wanted to play. Glad they showed some interest in me and that I got something done,” Romano added.
Romano had an ERA of 2.90, 285 strikeouts, and 105 saves in 231 appearances for the Blue Jays in his career, making his MLB debut with the team in 2019. He had back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2022 and 2023 and won the Tip O’Neill Award as the best Canadian-born baseball player by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
A native of Markham, Ontario, Romano had spoken many times about how grateful he was to play for his childhood team. One of just 29 Canadian players in franchise history, he also made sure to give an extra shoutout to the Toronto fanbase.
“The fans there were so good to me. I’ll definitely miss them as well,” Romano said.