The Philadelphia Phillies' bats were alive and well on Saturday afternoon, racking up 18 hits en route to the club's 11-10 win over the rival Miami Marlins. As offensively impressive as the victory was, the Phillies almost didn't leave Citizens Bank Park victorious thanks to one reliever's abysmal effort.
Right-handed hurler Jordan Romano almost single-handedly cost the Phillies their win when he entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. Romano kept his NL East rival's hopes alive despite Philadelphia boasting a seven-run lead when he took the mound, giving up six earned runs on as many hits on 40 pitches before being replaced by southpaw Jose Alvarado.
It was the latest in a series of disappointing performances for Romano, leaving the Phillies with an obvious roster move to make after their latest win.
Phillies Most Option Jordano Romano to the Minors After Saturday's Horrible Performance
There's no question about it: the Phillies must option Romano to the minors after nearly blowing Saturday's lead to the Marlins. It's the only option Rob Thomson's club has left after the veteran righty has failed to live up to the one-year, $8.5 million contract he signed over the offseason.
Before moving to Philadelphia, Romano established himself as a reliable arm during his six-year run with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadian reliever notched a pair of MLB All-Star appearances while going 20-17 with a 2.90 ERA and 285 strikeouts across 229 2/3 innings in 231 appearances with the Blue Jays, leaving Phillies fans hoping for similar success in the City of Brotherly Love.
Instead, it's been the complete opposite.
Including Saturday's awful outing, Romano's ERA now sits at a horrendous 15.26 through his first nine relief appearances in a Phillies uniform. He only has seven strikeouts while issuing four walks and 13 earned runs on as many hits, further highlighting the need for a minor-league stint.
At the end of the day, Romano serves no purpose to the Phillies if they can't trust him in big-game situations. He's better off trying to rediscover his groove with Triple-A Lehigh Valley rather than continuing to be put in situations where he nearly costs Philadelphia important victories.
The Phillies must begin Romano's minor-league stint sooner rather than later. Waiting too long could cause his issues to reach the point of no return, potentially making him useless in a potential championship hunt.
Fortunately, despite Romano's issues, the Phillies still own the third-best World Series odds (+1000) on FanDuel Sportsbook ahead of Sunday's finale against the Marlins.
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