The Philadelphia Phillies are all-in on a postseason push—and that means dead weight in the bullpen can’t be tolerated much longer. Veteran reliever Jordan Romano, signed in December to stabilize late innings, has done the exact opposite. Now, with All-Star closer Jhoan Durán officially in the fold, Romano might be the odd man out.
Romano’s Struggles Have Gone From Concerning to Unsustainable
Romano’s season hit a new low in July when he gave up a walk-off, inside-the-park home run to Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, a .190 hitter at the time. The loss was historic, for all the wrong reasons. It also raised his ERA to 7.44 and triggered renewed calls for his release. That meltdown wasn’t an isolated incident. Romano has allowed runs in nearly a third of his appearances this season. His ERA outside of May is an unsightly 9.00.
The 32-year-old was always a risky signing after missing most of 2024 with elbow inflammation. Still, the Phillies hoped his past track record—comprising 95 saves and a 2.37 ERA from 2021 to 2023 in Toronto—would carry over. Instead, they’ve gotten one of the worst-performing relievers in the league.
Duran’s Arrival Changes the Equation
The Phillies made one of the most impactful trade deadline moves in baseball by acquiring Jhoan Durán from the Twins. Duran immediately takes over the ninth inning, bringing a 2.01 ERA, 16 saves, and elite swing-and-miss stuff.
The addition has shifted the bullpen hierarchy: Durán closes, with Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering setting him up. Romano, meanwhile, no longer has a clear role. Manager Rob Thomson has already moved him into low-leverage spots, but the results haven’t improved.
There’s also no longer a roster excuse to keep Romano. Before the Durán trade, the bullpen was short-handed—José Alvarado is suspended for the postseason, Kerkering has battled injuries, and the depth was thin. Now, with Duran anchoring the unit and the club reportedly exploring additional bullpen help, Romano’s spot looks expendable.
Edward Eng of That Ball’s Outta Here recently predicted Romano would be cut before season’s end. It’s hard to disagree. According to Statcast, Romano’s fastball is now down to 95.5 mph and is being crushed—opponents are slugging .659 off it with a .341 batting average. His slider, still thrown over 60% of the time, is barely holding up with expected metrics that show more trouble than success.
In total, Romano has given up more home runs and hard contact this season than any Phillies reliever. His barrel rate (9.3%), xSLG (.415), and hard-hit percentage (38.9%) all reflect the decline. He’s walking more batters than he strikes out in high-leverage spots, and he hasn’t earned a save since early May.
The Phillies owe Romano millions, but sunk costs shouldn’t outweigh performance. Philadelphia is trying to win a championship, not salvage a failed experiment.
Unless Romano suddenly turns it around in mop-up duty, it’s only a matter of time before the Phillies pull the plug. With every blown lead and every loud contact, he inches closer to the DFA pile.
And now that Durán is here, the Phillies have their answer. The only question is how much longer they’re willing to wait.
Phillies Could Cut Ties With $8.5M Reliever After Trade