Philadelphia – The last two pitchers working before the game Tuesday afternoon were Jordan Romano and Joe Ross, the club's two offseason additions at a cost of $12.5 million. Two rescuers spent the extra time at pitching coach Caleb Cotham.
They are still here, and now, they are the last two men in a crowded bullpen.
The makeover was completed Tuesday, when José Alvarado returned to an active roster after serving 80 drug suspensions. This is the strongest bullpen unit for the Phillies all season. Manager Rob Thomson has six legal high-leverage options available. Alvarado is not eligible for the playoffs, but he will pitch frequently in the final six weeks of the season.
“It's hard, man,” Alvarado said. “It’s hard because I know I want to be there. But that’s happening.
Jhoan Duran is getting closer. Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm are the setters. David Robertson and Tanner Banks will pitch in the middle of the game. Ross is a long man.
Then there is Romano.
He has been one of the worst seasons in Philadelphia's history. He surrendered a three-home run Monday night, forcing the Phillies to use Cocklin in a game he shouldn't be pitching. Romano's era was 7.56.
He threw two fastballs on the outing – one at 94.7 mph at 93.4 mph. He can't throw multiple innings. He recorded three games on just one of his six outings this month.
It is impossible for Thomson to know which version of Romano. This makes Romano a responsibility.
Romano is an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 and has been working hard to restore his former form. (Brett Davis/Getty Image)
“He either shuts down people or gives up two or three games,” Thomson said. “It seems like it's been a year. But it's still a good thing. He'll swing and miss it when he goes up. In fact, he's doing just as well as killing the situation, communicating with traffic and getting out of it.”
Over the past 45 days, Romano threw a fastball at 97 mph. (This is the 97.1 mph pitch on July 25.) In 2023, his fastball averaged 96.7 mph. He missed most of the elbow hits in 2024. He's been looking for something typical all season.
“My fastball or slider is not consistent,” Romano said last week. “That's like the biggest thing, right? As a relaxer, you want to be consistent when you're in the game. I haven't been there.
How can a manager trust the reliefist in any situation (important or not) in this state?
“Well, I can't say what he's going to come out of the pen,” Thomson said. “Until he walked to the mound. So I just wanted to make sure we gave him a vacation because when he had time for a vacation, he seemed to be stronger. That's the only thing you can do.”
The manager exclaimed that the quiet part was reasonable and wondered how long the Phillies would last. This qualifies as a question, as Romano is now essentially the team's seventh-time reliefer. It was even worse when they expected him to pitch in the late game. Now, if they have problems requiring fresh arms, Romano or Ross is at risk of losing the roster.
The only reliefists in the current bullpen with minor league options are Kerkering and Banks, who have been one of the club's most stable pitchers throughout the season. The bank loses in the current structure; he will likely have to play in more biased situations because he has the ability to throw multiple innings.
Sometimes Thomson will have to use some of his better mitigators in low rates. The Phillies can add another pitcher on September 1.
“We're going to cover it,” Thomson said. “That bullpen group is so tightly weaving that they're going to pick each other up. They know you're a leverage guy and we need to pick up a round here here. So they're so very selfless.”
Max Lazar has a bullpen attraction for three months, but he was relegated Monday because the Phillies needed a new arm. Lazal is not perfect, but he gave birth at some critical moments. He worked harder and showed something to the Phillies. It is hard to argue that Romano promises a place in Lazar. However, Romano is making money and has a longer history. He scored better on the analytics – his expected numbers were better than the actual numbers – which could affect the front desk.
In previous seasons, Dave Dombrowski, president of the Phillies baseball business, was reluctant to cut loose contracts. He released Didi Gregorius, Jeurys Familia and Odúbel Herrera in 2022. He released Josh Harrison in 2023.
So, this illustrates a bigger problem.
The Phillies did not accumulate enough bullpen depth during the offseason and have since tried to use the edge of their 40-man lineup to get available weapons. They have filed many exempt claims and small deals to acquire Triple A. Seth Johnson is a prospect showing promise and qualifies for recall on Wednesday. His strikes were more than Daniel Robert, who also performed well. A well-traveled veteran, Lou Trivino, signed a minor league deal earlier this month. He has a choice.
Another layer: Alvarado won't show up in October, so the Phillies are trying to protect as much bullpen depth as possible. But even if they are going to get hurt between now and the playoffs, it's hard to imagine Romano reentering a trusted group without major changes in fastballs and sliders.
“It's very frustrating, but in a strange sense, it's motivating,” Romano said. “Just want to really figure it out and go back to who I am as a pitcher. It's not that.”
So, for now, the Phillies are bidding for time. Alvarado knew he had limited time. He pitched and pride for $9 million in 2026 – the left-handed's determination to prove that he said the unapproved weight loss supplements he accepted earlier this season did not affect his live performance.
He has six weeks to show everyone — and helps the Phillies get a playoff spot.
“It's another great arm,” Thomson said. “Also, the energy around him is always fun. It's great to have him back.”
(Top photo by Jordan Romano: Mitchell Leff/Getty image)