Jordan Romano may no longer be a Toronto Blue Jay, but his love for the city and its fans remains clear.
In a recent interview, Romano admitted that while the possibility of leaving Toronto in 2025 was in the back of his mind, he was still shocked when the Blue Jays non-tendered him.
I wasn't sure [if I was going to stay in Toronto]. It's in the back of your head. It was definitely a little bit of a shocker. Once I kind of got over that and started throwing off the mound, things picked up. Philly was definitely a place I really wanted to play. Glad they showed some interest in me and that I got something done. - Jordan Romano.
The Blue Jays cut ties with their former closer after he missed most of 2024 with elbow trouble.
A native of Markham, Ontario, Romano is just one of 29 Canadians to suit up for the Blue Jaysand ranks third all-time in franchise history with 105 saves.
Though he's now a Philadelphia Phillie, Romano still has fond memories of his hometown crowd.
The fans there were so good to me. I'll definitely miss them as well
While Romano often made things interesting when he took the mound, he was a beloved figure in Toronto-both among fans and in the clubhouse.
In an ironic twist, after Romano signed his one-year deal with Philadelphia, former Phillies closer Jeff Hoffman inked a three-year contract with the Blue Jays.
Now healthy and ready to go, Romano looks to continue his closing duties in Philadelphia.