The Los Angeles Angels added two veteran relievers to their bullpen by agreeing to one-year contracts with left-hander Drew Pomeranz and right-hander Jordan Romano on Tuesday. Pomeranz will earn $4 million while Romano earns $2 million. These signings mark the first relievers acquired by the Angels this offseason.
The Los Angeles Angels bolstered their bullpen depth with the additions of Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano, both on one-year deals announced on Tuesday. Pomeranz, a 37-year-old lefty, returns to the organization after a strong 2025 season with the Cubs, where he posted a 2.17 ERA, 57 strikeouts and 15 walks in 49 2/3 innings. This was his first major league action since 2021 following multiple injuries. He previously signed a minor league deal with the Angels in 2024 but was released at the end of spring training. Over his 12-season career with teams including the Red Sox, Padres, Rockies, Athletics, Cubs, Brewers and Giants, Pomeranz has a 3.82 ERA and 940 strikeouts in 908 innings. He was a 2016 National League All-Star with San Diego and won a World Series with Boston in 2018.
General manager Perry Minasian highlighted Pomeranz's reliability, saying, “It’s a combination of makeup and performance for Drew. The year Drew had and being healthy the full year was important.”
Romano, 32, brings closing experience with 113 career saves, primarily from his time with the Blue Jays. He struggled in 2025 with the Phillies, recording an 8.23 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 17 walks and 10 homers allowed in 42 2/3 innings. In 2024, he had a 6.59 ERA in 13 2/3 innings with Toronto while missing most of the year due to right elbow inflammation. However, from 2019-23 with the Blue Jays, he excelled with a 2.67 ERA and 272 strikeouts in 216 innings, earning American League All-Star nods in 2022 and 2023.
Minasian expressed optimism about Romano's potential rebound, noting, “We’ve seen him at the back end pitch very well and in All-Star Games. He’s one of the best humans you'll ever meet. And there's some things we feel like we can do delivery-wise. There's some things we feel like we can do with the slider. The biggest thing is the stuff is still good. He missed bats. I know the ERA was high but the underlying numbers were pretty good.”
The Angels lost closer Kenley Jansen to the Tigers, who had a 2.59 ERA and 29-for-30 in saves last season. Minasian indicated no set closer yet, with decisions pending in spring training. “There's no set closer right now,” he said. “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.”
Other bullpen candidates include Ben Joyce, who may miss the season's start after shoulder surgery, and Robert Stephenson, recovering from elbow inflammation but expected for spring training. Additional arms are Brock Burke, Ryan Zeferjahn, Chase Silseth, José Fermin, Sam Bachman and Cody Laweryson. The team also signed Alek Manoah to a $1.95 million deal, potentially as a reliever. Minasian emphasized ongoing activity, stating, “We still have the opportunity to do a lot of things. It's kind of what makes sense. There's definitely opportunity. There's a number of very good players out on the market, whether it be trade or free agency. And we're active in a lot of areas, and we'll kind of see how it all plays out.” The Angels seek a starter, third baseman and center fielder while embracing higher-risk acquisitions like Grayson Rodriguez, Manoah and Vaughn Grissom.
