Former Blue Jays closer Romano joining Phillies on 1-year deal

The Philadelphia Phillies have signed closer Jordan Romano to a one-year contract worth $8.5 million US, making a short-term bet the right-hander can return to form following a right elbow injury.

As part of the deal, which was announced by the Phillies on Monday, Romano earns an additional $500,000 if he pitches at least 60 innings.

An all-star in 2022 and 2023, Romano spent the first six seasons of his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays. He has 105 career saves and a 2.90 earned-run average in 231 relief appearances.

Of the 17 pitchers in the majors with at least 100 save opportunities since 2019, Romano's 88.98. Among all pitchers in baseball since 2019, Romano's 105 saves rank ninth.

The 31-year-old Romano, from Markham, Ont., was limited to just eight saves in 15 games last season. He had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow in July.

Romano was cut by Toronto last month, when the team declined to offer him a contract that would have made him eligible for arbitration.

"Everyone loves him," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "I spoke to him after we non-tendered him, and he understood it. Very professional about it. I haven't heard back from him yet today, but he was great. He was kind of what we stood for in how he went about his business, the teammate that he was, the intensity in which he competed with."

Romano's arrival could lead to the departures of one or both of Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman from Philadelphia. The former all-star relievers both closed games for the Phillies last season but each suffered epic meltdowns in the post-season. Both pitchers are free agents.

Sasaki limited to minor league deal

Hard-throwing Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki was posted to Major League Baseball teams and will be available to sign as a free agent from Tuesday through 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 23.

The Chiba Lotte Marines said Nov. 9 they planned to make the 23-year-old Sasaki available but waited until less than a week before the end of the posting period.

Because he is 23, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and is limited to a minor league contract subject to the international signing bonus pools usually allocated for 16-year-old Latin American prospects. The 2024 signing period ends Sunday and the 2025 period opens on Jan. 15, with team pools ranging from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200 US.

Teams may trade for additional pool allotment in $250,000 increments starting Jan. 15 but are limited to adding 60% of their initial amount.

Chiba will receive a posting fee from the acquiring MLB team equal to 25 per cent of the signing bonus.

When Shohei Ohtani agreed to join the Los Angeles Angels in December 2016 at age 23, he received a $2,315,000 signing bonus. Ohtani had salaries of $545,000, $650,000 and $259,259 (in pandemic-shortened 2020) during his first three seasons, earned $3 million, $5.5 million and $30 million in his three years of arbitration eligibility and then agreed to a record 10-year, $700-million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season.

Fastball clocked at 102.5 mph

Sasaki is represented by Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group and is expected to become one of the most sought-after pitchers on the market. He went 10-5 with a 2.35 earned-run average in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings.

Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 miles per hour, and he has a 29-15 career record and 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines. He pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022, racking up 13 straight strikeouts and finishing with 19.

"Since I joined the team, the team has been listening to my thoughts about my future MLB challenge, and I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post," Sasaki said in a Nov. 9 statement posted by the Marines on the social platform X.

"There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was able to get to this point by concentrating only on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, front office, and fans. I will do my best to work my way up from my minor contract to become the best player in the world, so that I will have no regrets in my one and only baseball career and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me."

The Athletics, Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Seattle and Tampa Bay enter the international signing period with $7,555,500 available for each.

Arizona, Baltimore, Cleveland, Colorado, Kansas City and Pittsburgh have $6,908,600 apiece, followed by Atlanta, Boston, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets and Yankees, Philadelphia, San Diego, Texas, Toronto and Washington at $6,261,600.

Houston and St. Louis each have $5,646,200, and the Dodgers and San Francisco have $5,146,200.