The Philadelphia Phillies signed closer Jordan Romano to a one-year contract, making a short-term bet that the right-hander can return to form following a right elbow injury.

The Phillies announced the deal Monday. They did not provide the terms of the agreement, but it is reportedly worth $8.5 million.

An All-Star in 2022 and 2023, when he had 36 saves in each season, Romano spent the first six years of his major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays after being drafted in 2014 out of Oral Roberts. He has 105 career saves and a 2.90 ERA in 231 relief appearances.

Of the 17 pitchers in the majors with at least 100 save opportunities since 2019, Romano’s 88.98% save percentage ranks second, trailing only Josh Hader (187 for 210, 89.04%).

The 31-year-old Romano was limited to just eight saves in 15 games last season when he posted a 6.59 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. He had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow in July.

Romano’s arrival could lead to the departures of one or both of Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman. The former All-Star relievers both closed games for the Phillies last season but each suffered epic meltdowns in the postseason. Both pitchers are free agents.

The Blue Jays non-tendered Romano in November.

sasaki posted

Hard-throwing Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki was posted to MLB teams and will be available to sign as a free agent from today through Jan. 23.

The Chiba Lotte Marines said Nov. 9 that they planned to make the 23-year-old Sasaki available but waited until less than a week before the end of the posting period.

Because he is 23, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and is limited to a minor league contract subject to the international signing bonus pools usually allocated for 16-year-old Latin American prospects. The 2024 signing period ends Sunday and the 2025 period opens on Jan. 15, with team pools ranging from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200.

Sasaki is expected to become one of the most sought-after pitchers on the market. He went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings.

Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 mph, and he has a 29-15 record with a 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines. He pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022 — racking up 13 straight strikeouts and finishing with 19.

COBB TO TIGERS

The Detroit Tigers added a veteran starter to bolster their rotation, which is headed by AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, agreeing to a one-year deal with 37-year-old right-hander Alex Cobb.

Cobb missed most of last season following hip surgery and a shoulder injury, but he ended up pitching well in three starts for the Cleveland Guardians.

Tigers president Scott Harris brought Cobb to San Francisco in 2022, and in 2023 Cobb made his lone All-Star team.

He is 79-76 over 13 MLB seasons. The Tigers will be his sixth team. He was 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA over 18 starts with the Angels in 2021.

RETTENMUND DIES

Merv Rettenmund, an outfielder whose 13-year major league playing career included World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds, has died. He was 81. No cause of death was given.

Rettenmund played his first six seasons for the Orioles before spending two each with the Reds and Padres and three with the Angels (1978-80). He set career highs with a .322 batting average and 18 home runs for Baltimore in 1970, when the Orioles won their second of three straight pennants — and beat Cincinnati in the World Series. Rettenmund homered in Game 5 as Baltimore wrapped up the title with a 9-3 win.

In 1971, Rettenmund finished third in the American League in batting (.318).

Rettenmund won the 1975 World Series with the Reds. After the end of his playing career, Rettenmund became a big league hitting coach, spending much of the 1990s with San Diego..

RAYS SWITCH OPENER

The Rays’ opener against the Colorado Rockies was pushed back a day until March 28 to give Tampa Bay an extra day to adapt to the New York Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field.

Tampa Bay is playing home games at the Yankees’ spring training facility in Tampa, Florida, next year because of damage to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9.

The Yankees’ last spring training home game is on March 24.

Rays staff will operate the scoreboard and employ Tampa Bay elements. The statue of late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner will remain in place outside the stadium but decisions have not been made on the large Y-A-N-K-E-E-S signs on each side of the stadium and the Yankees mural on the back of the scoreboard.

Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 19 of its first 22 games at home and 37 of 54 through May 28, then play 64 of its last 108 games on the road in an attempt to avoid summer rain at the open-air ballpark.

Tampa Bay will use the Yankees clubhouse on the first-base side, which was renovated during the 2023-24 offseason. New York will use the visitors clubhouse for its regular-season games at Steinbrenner Field.