Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jordan Romano makes unexpected announcement

On Saturday, a report citing Sportsnet said Romano will not pitch for Canada at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. For a country that finally has real big league depth, losing late-inning certainty still stings.

What makes it messier is the timing, and the paperwork trail. Some public roster trackers still list Romano among Canada's bullpen options, which is exactly how fans get whiplash in January.

Romano's name matters because he has actually done the closer job at a high level, in the AL East, under bright lights. In 2022 he posted 36 saves, a 2.11 ERA, and 73 strikeouts in 64 innings for Toronto.

Romano is 32 now, and the résumé is still real: he was a 10th-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 out of Oral Roberts, and he's piled up 113 career saves through 2025. That kind of track record does not grow on maple trees.

From a tactics angle, Canada now has to cover the ninth inning with matchups instead of one clean lane. You can piece it together with power arms and leverage guys, but it changes how aggressive you can be in the seventh and eighth.

It also lands in a familiar spot for Blue Jays watchers, because Romano was the last truly stable Jays closer stretch in recent memory. Team Canada opens the tournament March 5-17, and every close game will feel like it needs one more trusted out.

However it's ultimately labeled, personal, health, or just career timing, the next milestone is simple. Canada has to name its bullpen plan, and the rest of us can finally stop guessing.

Source: Blue Jays Nation
Freddie Freeman and Jordan Romano withdraw from Canada's WBC team