The Angels designated Jordan Romano for assignment before Sunday’s matchup against the Royals, ending a brief and erratic run as their closer after a Saturday blowout that turned another late-inning lead into a mess.
The team selected left-hander Joey Lucchesi to take Romano’s roster spot, designated right-hander Shaun Anderson for assignment and recalled righty Jose Fermin. Catcher Logan O’Hoppe was also placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured wrist, with Sebastian Rivero recalled to replace him.
Romano’s exit came after a night in which he allowed four earned runs against Kansas City and was pulled mid-inning for infielder Adam Frazier. It followed a brutal series against the Yankees in which he gave up five earned runs, blew two saves and recorded only one out. The struggles were a sharp turn from the start of the season, when he had four saves in six scoreless appearances and allowed only two baserunners, both on walks.
The Angels had been forced to lean on Romano after injuries to Ben Joyce, Robert Stephenson and Kirby Yates pushed him into the closer role to begin the year. He arrived in Anaheim on a one-year, $2 million deal, trying to rebuild value after an 8.23 ERA with the Phillies last season and elbow problems that wrecked his 2024 campaign.
That only made the opening weeks more striking for a pitcher who saved 95 games from 2021 to 2023 with the Blue Jays and earned two All-Star selections along the way. Then the wheels came off. Romano’s Angels tenure ended after just eight innings, a brief stay that offered a few saves at the start and little else by the time the club moved on.
