The Los Angeles Angels made a couple of notable bullpen additions Tuesday, signing right-hander Jordan Romano and left-hander Drew Pomeranz to one-year contracts. Pomeranz, 37, got $4 million; Romano, 32, got $2 million.
The Angels will count on both to reinforce a bullpen that posted a 4.86 ERA in 2025, third worst in the majors, and will lose Reid Detmers to the rotation. Ideally, Romano and Pomeranz will slot in behind Robert Stephenson and Ben Joyce in the pecking order, though Stephenson (limited to 12 appearances in two years because of elbow issues) and Joyce (five appearances before shoulder surgery in 2025) have been plagued by injury of late.
A converted starter, Pomeranz pitched for five different organizations and dealt with a litany of injuries from 2022 to 2024, during which he combined for 20 appearances in the minor leagues. The 2025 season qualified as a breakthrough. With the Chicago Cubs, Pomeranz posted a 2.17 ERA in 57 appearances, striking out 57 batters and issuing 15 walks in 49⅔ innings. Pomeranz held left-handed hitters to a .176/.238/.203 slash line.
Romano made back-to-back All-Star teams and was one of the game's most productive closers while with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2022 to 2023, converting 72 saves while posting a 2.49 ERA. From 2024 to 2025, though, his ERA ballooned to 7.83 in 64 games.
Pomeranz and, more notably, Romano qualify as two additional pitching reclamations acquired by the Angels over the offseason, alongside starting pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah. Angels general manager Perry Minasian has openly expressed a desire to add another starter, but the team also has holes in center field and at third base.