Jordan Romano is getting another chance, and Warren Schaeffer's Rockies are taking a no-risk swing on a former Blue Jays closer.
Colorado agreed to a minor league deal with Romano on May 5, only a week after the Angels released him. He will report to the organization's Arizona complex before heading to an affiliate.
That detail matters. The Rockies are not rushing him straight into the bullpen. They want time to work on him first, whether that means mechanics, pitch shape, or both.
Romano's recent numbers explain why. He gave up 9 runs in 8 innings with the Angels this season, even though he still struck out 12 hitters and picked up 4 saves before things unraveled.
The bigger issue is the trend line. His fastball averaged 94.5 mph with Los Angeles, and MLB Trade Rumors noted both of his main pitches were around 3 mph harder during his best Toronto years.
That is the part Blue Jays fans will recognize right away. Romano at his peak was one of the American League's better late-game arms, a 2-time All-Star who locked down the ninth inning in Toronto.
But those years feel farther away now because the injuries have piled up. Romano dealt with back trouble in 2023, elbow issues in 2024 that led to arthroscopic surgery, and then finger inflammation and numbness that cut short his 2025 season.
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Colorado is buying a flier, not a fix
That is the cleanest way to read this move. The Rockies are not asking Romano to walk into Coors Field and rescue the bullpen on arrival. They are betting that a minor league deal gives them a shot at finding something useful without taking on real downside.
It also helps that Colorado can afford to wait. MLB Trade Rumors described the Rockies' bullpen as solid overall, even if much of the group has still been uneven from arm to arm.
So Romano does not need to be the answer right away. He just needs to show there is still enough life in the arm to make a call-up worth considering.
From Toronto's side, this signing lands with a little sting because it comes so soon after the case for a Blue Jays reunion was easy to make. Romano's best years came there, and a minor league deal would have been the same kind of low-risk flyer Colorado just made.
Now the Rockies get that look instead. If Romano finds his old slider and enough fastball to survive again, Colorado may wind up with a useful bullpen piece for almost nothing.
And if not, this is exactly the kind of move a club can walk away from without much damage done. That is why it makes sense, even with all the recent warning signs attached to his name.
Should the Blue Jays have signed Jordan Romano before the Rockies did?
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