The Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday placed closer Jordan Romano on the 15-day injured list with what the club described as lower back inflammation. In a corresponding move, the Jays recalled right-hander Nate Pearson and added him to the active roster prior to Saturday's game against the Angels.
Earlier this month, Romano was forced to depart the All-Star Game because of lower-back discomfort, and his first appearance of the second half was delayed for several days. He left Friday night's game with trainers.
Romano, 30, has pitched to a 2.79 ERA and 3.40 K/BB ratio in 42 innings of work this season. His 28 saves on the year presently lead the American League. The right-hander worked 2/3 of an inning during the Blue Jays' win over the Angels on Friday before being pulled, and in that appearance he permitted a pair of singles and a walk. Romano has served as Toronto's closer since the 2021 season.
Needless to say, this is a blow to the Jays during a critical stretch of schedule. They have two more games against the Angels, who are fellow wild-card contenders, and then they play their next seven against the AL East-rival Orioles and Blue Jays. Presently, the Jays are 58-46 on the season and tied with the Astros for the second AL wild-card spot. The Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, and Mariners are all within range, which makes it a highly competitive fray.
While the Toronto bullpen has largely been effective this season, it's not particularly deep at the moment. As such, manager John Schneider may opt to play matchups to cover the save opportunities that otherwise would've been Romano's.
