Sometimes Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano can go entire at-bats without hearing the crowd.
Locked on the task at hand, he can feel the energy, but the audio isn't there. But when the tensions really rise—two outs, two strikes—the noise comes surging back. With Kyle Higashioka digging into the box on Monday night, one of those moments arose.
Romano loaded back and dealt towards home, pulling the string on a breaking ball for his third save of the season—a record-setting one. With his 26th consecutive save, dating back to last year, Romano set the record for the most converted opportunities in a row by a Blue Jay closer, passing Tom Henke.
“In the moment, now, maybe not, but definitely looking back it’ll be something cool,” Romano told Inside The Blue Jays after tying the record.
Romano staked claim to the closer's job last season and converted 23 of his TK opportunities. But the 28-year-old Markham native didn't grow up with bullpen ambitions. Romano was picked in the 10th round of the 2014 draft as a starter and remained in minor league rotations until he was selected in the 2018 Rule 5 draft, traded to the Rangers, and return to the Blue Jays in March 2019.
“Growing up it was mostly starters like Roy Halladay, even Ricky Romero when I was coming up I was a really big fan of," Romano said. "I didn’t watch the bullpen guys too much, but now I am one."
Not only is Romano now one of those bullpen guys, he's the best the Jays have had in a while. Romano's Win Probability Added last season (3.82) was the second-best among all MLB relievers and the best season by a Toronto 'pen arm since B.J. Ryan's 2006.
It's only his second season as Toronto's full-time closer, but Romano's name is already all over the Blue Jay closer record books.
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