Phillies Castoff Tuns Reigns as the Saves Leader in Both the AL and NL This Season

0 1 2 minutes read

Phillies Castoff Tuns Reigns as the Saves Leader in Both the AL and NL This Season

The Philadelphia Phillies played a measured role last offseason when they signed veteran closer Jordan Romano, hoping the former Toronto Blue Jays All-Star could return to his prime after an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. Instead, the move quickly became one of the club’s biggest disappointments as Romano struggled to find his command and consistency.

By the end of the season, Philadelphia had moved on, and Romano’s future looked uncertain after one of the worst years of his career. But now, less than a season later, the veteran reliever is drawing attention to a rare accomplishment that spans both leagues.

Phillies Expect To Cut Struggling Slugger At Trade Deadline, ‘Wasn’t So Good’

Former Philadelphia Phillies Bust, 2-Time All-Star Jordan Romano Leads 2 Teams in Saves

Romano’s latest chapter took another unexpected turn after he joined the Los Angeles Angels to start this season before being traded to the Colorado Rockies.

“Jordan Romano leads Angels in saves in 2026,” said The Athletic’s Sam Blum in a post on X that has nearly 7,500 likes. “Jordan Romano leads the Rockies in saves in 2026 (tied with two others). Jordan Romano has 8 saves.”

The strange statistics show how unusual Romano’s season has been. Although it is noteworthy that he managed to hold the best saves on two different teams with only eight on the season, he has enjoyed a renaissance this season.

He has maintained a 1.35 ERA in seven games so far for the Rockies, who play in a notoriously bad hitting environment.

LA Native, 3-Time Grammy Winner ‘Separated’ From Dodgers After Mark Walter’s Rehab

Philadelphia Phillies’ Casoff Hit Rocky Stretch After Dominant Toronto Blue Jays Run

When the Angels signed Romano before the 2026 season, they were betting that the two-year All-Star could recapture the form that made him one of baseball’s premier closers.

“Romano could certainly fit the label of a potential turnaround project after having a bad 2025 season with the Phillies, as he posted an 8.23 ERA in 49 games the year after being limited by injury with the Blue Jays,” Christian Arnold wrote for the New York Post at the time. “The right-hander had 47 strikeouts and allowed 10 home runs in 42⅔ innings in his one season with the Phillies. In his 2024 season in Toronto, Romano had a 6.59 ERA in 13⅔ innings as he battled right elbow inflammation for most of the year.”

Those tough back-to-back seasons are a stark contrast to Romano’s highs and Toronto. From 2021 to 2023, he established himself as one of the late game relievers, posting a 2.37 ERA with 95 saves over that three-year span while earning American League All-Star options in 2022 and 2023.

While Romano hasn’t fully returned to that dominant level, his rare distinction of leading two different clubs in saves in the same season shows that he has once again become a reliable late-inning option. For the Phillies, it also serves as another reminder that a reliever’s performance can fluctuate wildly from one season to the next.

This article was originally published Forbes.com