Much like a lot of MLB clubs, the 2025 season has been an up-and-down experience for the Philadelphia Phillies. Rob Thomson's club is off to a solid 10-7 start to the new campaign, and even though that's far from baseball's worst record, the Phillies would be in a much better place if everyone were successfully doing their part.
Although some of the Phillies' early disappointments stem from struggling returning players like Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh, one of the club's offseason additions has easily been the biggest letdown so far.
Phillies' Jordan Romano Signing Already Looks Like a Mistake
The Phillies had a solid bullpen last season, however, the unit's 3.94 ERA (14th) wasn't exactly an overly impressive performance. That's why the club attempted to improve its relief situation by signing veteran right-handed hurler Jordan Romano to a one-year, $8.5 million contract.
Despite a forgettable 2024 performance, the Phillies were optimistic that a fresh start would help Romano get back on track. The Markham, ON native pitched like one of the Majors' top relievers more often than not with the Toronto Blue Jays, going 18-14 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.117 WHIP, and 243 strikeouts across 199 2/3 innings in 199 relief appearances since the start of 2021.
It certainly looked like Romano returned to form when he made his Phillies debut this spring. The 31-year-old righty tossed 8 2/3 scoreless innings across nine exhibition outings, picking up eight Ks with only four hits allowed along the way.
Strong spring training showings don't necessarily guarantee similar success in the regular season, though.
Phillies fans have learned that the hard way as Romano continues to underperform, recording a putrid 9.00 ERA and only one save in his first eight relief appearances. His personal-worst 5.1 walks per nine innings aren't exactly helping, nor is the .269/.387/.462 slash line he's surrendered. Continuing at that rate will make it difficult for Thomson to keep handing him significant opportunities.
With the Phillies' eyes set on a potential World Series run, Romano has to step up if he wants to be a part of that fun. Thomson's bullpen only has room for the most reliable relievers, meaning the struggling Canadian arm must find a way to step up to avoid being replaced.
The silver lining here is that Romano's slow start hasn't negatively impacted Philadelphia's championship outlook. The Phillies are currently holding the third-best 2025 World Series odds (+1000) on FanDuel Sportsbook as the April action continues to ramp up.
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