With Ken Giles on the injury list with a forearm problem, the Blue Jays relievers needed to step up. The bottom line is they have this season and that is one of the reasons why Toronto is currently in a playoff spot in the American League.
One of those relievers is Canadian Jordan Romano of Markham, Ontario, who has been sensational this season in the first half of the 2020 Major League Baseball regular season. He has been so steady on the mound, he has emerged as the short-term closer.
In the Blue Jays’ latest four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Romano was given two opportunities to get the save, and capitalized on both chances. On Friday, Romano recorded his first career Major League Baseball save in a 6-5 win, and then on Monday, Romano did it again as Toronto won 6-4.
In 14 games this season, Romano has a record of two wins, one loss, an earned run average of 0.64, and a WHIP of 0.86. In 14 innings of work, he has given up seven hits, one earned run and five walks. Romano also has 20 strikeouts and five holds. His wins came in a 6-4 Toronto win over Tampa Bay on July 24, and in a 3-2 Toronto win over the Philadelphia Phillies on August 20.
The Blue Jays currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the American League. At 14 wins and 13 losses, they are half a game up on the Baltimore Orioles.
Romano also needs to be praised for his drastic improvement from 2019. Last year it was a struggle, as he had an earned run average of 7.63 in 17 games for Toronto.
