Romano endears himself to new team, takes shot at front office
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The beloved closer from Markham, Ontario, was injured for the majority of 2024 and wound up seeing his Blue Jays career end with an anticlimactic whimper.
But Romano is not your average sports personality.
He recently signed a one-year with the Philadelphia Phillies, a team with a strong and passionate fan base, albeit a tough one, in a strong, sports-loving town.
It's been five days since Romano signed with his team, after a decade with the Blue Jays. If reports are indication, he has already endeared himself to Philly nation.
"I think there's a standard in Philly," Romano said. "A standard with the players. I guess the city, the fans. It's a high level of performance. A lot of expectations to win, and I feel like I have the same expectations myself. So I feel like those views are aligned there ... just the team in general, just talent everywhere. It's a team built to win the World Series. So I felt like it would be a great spot for me to go join and help contribute to wins." - Jays Journal
Was that a subtle jab at the Blue Jays front office?
Romano most likely didn't mean to cause any offence towards his former general manager and will for sure be welcomed with open arms the first time he visits Roger's Centre as a visiting player. Romano witnessed the passion of Philly fans first-hand when the Blue Jays visited Citizens Bank Park last summer. It seems like that fandom had an impact on him signing there.
"I played there last year and it was a Tuesday or Wednesday day game and the place was absolutely sold out. The atmosphere was electric. After that series, I said if I ever got the chance to play there I think I'd really enjoy it." - si.com
If Romano is fully healthy and can put up numbers like he did in 2022 and 2023, he will be a valuable, elite asset to the Phillies pitching staff.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 14 | 262 ANSWERS Romano endears himself to new team, takes shot at front office Will Jordan Romano be an elite closer for Philadelphia? | ||
| Yes | 134 | 51.1 % |
| No | 128 | 48.9 % |
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