Mohamed Magdy  

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Closer Jordan Romano signs one-year deal

Closer Jordan Romano signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team announced Monday, fortifying a bullpen that served as a strength during the regular season but crumbled in the playoffs.

The deal is worth $8.5 million, according to multiple reports.

Romano, 31, was nontendered by the Toronto Blue Jays after an injury-riddled year that ended with him undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. Over the prior four seasons, Romano had been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.29 ERA in 200⅔ innings with 251 strikeouts and 75 walks. The deal is pending a physical.

Rather than go to arbitration with Romano -- where his salary was projected to remain around the $7.75 million he earned this year after posting a 6.59 ERA in 13⅔ innings -- or trade him, Toronto declining to offer Romano a contract led to his free agency.

Philadelphia pounced quickly, looking to replace All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman and right-hander Carlos Estevez, who reached free agency.

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