Blue Jays non-tender former All-Star closer, additional reliever ahead of deadline

With the non-tender deadline set to run out at 8 pm EST on Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays have decided to let go two relievers from their underperforming bullpen from the 2024 MLB season. One of those relievers was Dillon Tate, as most had predicted. But the other non-tendered player will certainly turn a lot of heads: former All-star closer and long-tenured Blue Jay Jordan Romano.

Both players have now become free agents this offseason, and will immediately enter the market. The rest of the Blue Jays' remaining arbitration-eligible players were tendered contracts, per reports.

Blue Jays non-tender former All-Star closer Jordan Romano, additional reliever ahead of deadline

Romano had been the heart and soul of the Toronto bullpen for the past six seasons with the club. After evolving into one of the best closers in the league in 2021, he's been relied upon as the everyday anchor of the Jays' relief corps ever since. As a two-time All-Star, Romano always found a way to hold his composure to lock down a game, no matter how much trouble he ran into.

However, an early right elbow injury during spring training this past spring set the tone for the rest of the 2024 season for Romano, as it ultimately turned into a nightmare when all was said and done. He struggled throughout the campaign, posting an abysmal 6.59 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and allowing 10 earned runs with 13 strikeouts in just 13 2/3 innings pitched over 15 relief appearances.

His miserable season came to an abrupt end when he had to undergo surgery to repair an impingement in his right elbow on July 3. Despite trying to make his return to the club prior to the end of the season, it never ended up materializing. With the Jays non-committal to his role in the upcoming year, this eventual outcome became more plausible in recent weeks.

In Tate's case, the righty was claimed off of waivers from the Baltimore Orioles at the beginning of September, with hopes that the five-year veteran could rediscover his previous form to help the club. However, in four appearances with the Jays, he failed to impress by giving up two runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in just 3 1/3 innings of work. That amounted to a 5.40 ERA and 2.10 WHIP. With Tate not in the Jays' long-term plans, he was expected to be cut loose following the conclusion of the 2024 season.

One thing to keep in mind is that the non-tendering of Romano doesn't necessarily mean the Jays are officially cutting ties with the 31-year-old veteran reliever for good. It is still possible for Toronto to bring him back on another revised deal that costs less than what he would have received through arbitration, as previously hinted by Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. However, with many solid closing options available this offseason in free agency, it makes that possibility just a little less likely.