Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team alum Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) was recently signed by the Los Angeles Angels. Photo: Los Angeles Angels

December 28, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Romano not Angels’ closer

Despite a resume that boasts 113 MLB saves, Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) is not being anointed the Los Angeles Angels closer yet.

The Angels signed Romano to a one-year, $2-million contract on December 16.

“There’s no set closer right now,” Angels GM Perry Minasian told MLB.com on December 17. “We’re still looking at bullpen. It’s not an area where we’re done. We’re still going to look to add to that group. In our eyes, it’s just get as many good arms as we can and see what happens.”

Kenley Jansen was the Angels’ closer in 2025 but he departed for a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers on December 17.

The 32-year-old Romano heads to the West Coast after a rough season with the Philadelphia Phillies. After signing a one-year, $8.5-million contract with the Phillies last December, the former Toronto Blue Jays closer proceeded to post an 8.23 ERA and record just eight saves in 49 relief appearances before he was sidelined by a season-ending finger injury in late August.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander was signed by the Phillies after he was non-tendered by the Blue Jays. Romano had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in July 2024, which cut his last campaign with the Blue Jays short.

Romano was a two-time All-Star in his six seasons with the Blue Jays.

Originally chosen in the 10th round of the MLB draft by the Blue Jays in 2014, the Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team alum is entering his eighth major league season.

Canadian ball hall secures 2025 postseason artifacts

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame has added several artifacts from the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2025 postseason run to their collection. Earlier this month, they shared photos of them on their website.

Among the artifacts they received from the Blue Jays are:

-The second base Vladimir Guerrero Jr. touched after his grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

-The second base George Springer touched following his three-run home run in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.

-The jersey Bo Bichette wore (see above) when he recorded the first World Series hit by a Blue Jays player since Joe Carter‘s World Series-winning walk-off home run in 1993.

-The jersey reliever Seranthony Dominguez wore when he recorded the Blue Jays’ first World Series win since 1993.

Pop joins ninth MLB organization

When right-hander Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) signed with the Phillies on December 22, he joined his ninth different major league organization.

Pop was drafted in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 then traded to the Baltimore Orioles in July of the following year before being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft in 2020. The D-Backs then flipped him to the Miami Marlins.

After a season-and-a-half with the Marlins, Pop was dealt to the Blue Jays where he spent two-plus campaigns prior to being released in April 2025. The Canuck righty then landed with the Mariners and appeared in four games with them before being let go and picked up by the New York Mets. He toed the rubber in one game for the Mets before completing the season in the Chicago Cubs’ organization.

All of this got me wondering if there has ever been a Canadian pitcher that has been in more than nine MLB organizations?

I don’t think so.

But John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) also was in nine MLB organizations. He started his pro career in the New York Yankees system. He then pitched in the big leagues for the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s, Blue Jays and Dodgers.

What baseball gifts did you receive for Christmas?

So what baseball gifts did you get for Christmas?

My brother knows me well. He consistently tracks down bobbleheads that he knows I’d love. This year, it was this great Tim Raines bobblehead.

I also received Evan Drellich’s book, “Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball’s Brightest Minds Created Sports’ Biggest Mess” from my nephew and his wife. It’s a book about the Houston Astros and their sign-stealing scandal. I’m looking forward to reading it.

TSN reporter Whalen passes away

Longtime TSN reporter Michael Whalen passed away on December 9 at the age of 82 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Most in Canada will remember him for his work at TSN’s Montreal bureau. He was best known for his extensive coverage of the Montreal Canadiens during their last two Stanley Cup championships (1986 and 1993), but I recall him most for his work covering the Montreal Expos. He was there for the strike year in 1994 and he was at the club’s final game 10 years later.

My condolences to his family. You can read his official obituary here.

Happy 50th Birthday to B.J. Ryan!

Former Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan turns 50 today.

When Ryan signed a five-year, $47.5-million contract with the Blue Jays on November 29, 2005, he became the highest paid relief pitcher in major league history (at that time). He definitely earned his money in his first season north of the border, finishing with a 1.37 ERA and 38 saves in 65 games.

Unfortunately, he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery the next year. In 2008, he returned with a strong season, posting a 2.95 ERA and collecting 32 saves in 60 games. But after he struggled to a 6.53 ERA in 25 games in 2009, he was released.

Before joining the Blue Jays, Ryan pitched parts of seven seasons with the Orioles.

McCaskill signed with the White Sox 34 years ago

On this date 34 years ago, right-hander Kirk McCaskill (Kapuskasing, Ont.) left the California Angels to sign a three-year, $7-million contract with the Chicago White Sox.

At the time, it was the richest big league deal ever signed by a player born in Canada.

McCaskill, who had registered 10 or more wins in five of his seven previous seasons with the Angels, started for the White Sox in 1992 and won 12 games and recoreded a 4.18 ERA before becoming a reliever for the next four seasons.

He retired following the 1996 campaign with 106 career wins and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Rest in peace, Greg Thayer

Greg Thayer, who pitched his final pro season in the Blue Jays’ organization in 1980, died on December 12 in St. Cloud, Minn., at the age of 76.

Thayer made a combined 34 appearances for the Blue Jays’ double-A Knoxville Blue Jays and triple-A Syracuse Chiefs in 1980, going 4-4 with a 4.24 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 70 innings.

In total, he pitched nine professional seasons, primarily in the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins organizations, from 1971 to 1980.

His 20 relief appearances with the Twins in 1978 were his sole taste of big league action.

You can read his official obituary here.

December 28th Birthdays:

1946 – Bill Lee, former Expos pitcher

1949 – John Milner, former Expos first baseman, passed away in 2000.

1960 – Zane Smith, former Expos pitcher

1975 – B.J. Ryan, former Blue Jays pitcher

1994 – Mitch White, former Blue Jays pitcher

1995 – Dylan Cease, recently signed Blue Jays pitcher

Support the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is in the midst of their annual year-end fundraising appeal. They could really use your support.

You can read more about the appeal and make a donation here.

BWDIK: McCaskill, Pop, Romano, Ryan, Thayer