The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen developed into one of the best in baseball last season. Not only did the group shoulder a heavy workload, leading the Majors in innings (590.2), but Dodgers relievers combined for the best ERA (3.45).
What’s more, the Los Angeles bullpen succeeded despite going much of the season without defined roles outside of Kenley Jansen as closer. Joe Blanton, signed to work as a long reliever, developed into a dependable setup man.
But Blanton was among the nine Dodgers to reach free agency the morning after the 2016 World Series concluded, and he recently signed with the Washington Nationals.
While the Dodgers had interest in a reunion with Blanton, the club’s first move to add a right-hander to the bullpen was inking Sergio Romo to a one-year contract.
Romo has been a teammate of Adrian Gonzalez’s on Team Mexico on many separate occasions, so naturally Gonzalez was happy to call Romo a teammate on the Dodgers as well.
According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Gonzalez on multiple occasions lobbied the Dodgers front office to sign Romo:
Manager Dave Roberts said first baseman Adrian Gonzalez made numerous lobbying calls to team executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi suggesting they sign Romo, his friend and teammate from Mexico’s World Baseball Classic squad.
Romo had plenty of success in his 12-year career with the San Francisco Giants, being named an All-Star in 2013 and being a part of three World Series championship teams.
He dealt with some injuries last season and was only able to pitch in 40 games but was still effective, pitching to a 2.64 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30.2 innings.
While Romo’s fastball isn’t electric like most late-inning relievers, he has a slider that continues to give hitters fits. Romo struck out five in two scoreless innings across as many appearances prior to leaving camp to join Team Mexico for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
