This non-tendered two-time All-Star has all the makings of the next Cubs closer

A veteran reliever cast aside by his former team coming off an injury-plagued season? I'd be shocked if Jed Hoyer wasn't the first call to Jordan Romano's agent after the two-time All-Star was non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Romano, 31, was an All-Star for the Jays in 2022 and 2023, making 120 appearances, racking up 72 saves and working to a sterling 2.49 ERA. But injuries took the train off the rails this year, with an elbow procedure in spring training and what turned out to be a season-ending right elbow impingement surgery in July.

Injured most of the year and ineffective even when he was with the team, the Jays decided to cut ties rather than take the risk associated with a projected $7.75 million salary in 2025. Now, he hits the open market - and will no doubt draw a good amount of interest from teams looking for buy-low bullpen pieces.

Given the Cubs' need of late-inning arms and more veteran pieces in the bullpen, Romano looks like a perfect fit - at least on paper. Rookie right-hander Porter Hodge settled into the closer's role nicely down the stretch this year after Adbert Alzolay and Hector Neris failed to lock down the ninth, but bringing in someone of Romano's caliber could really take the pressure off Hodge and lengthen Craig Counsell's bullpen mix.

Looking at Romano's Baseball Savant numbers from 2023 - there's not much to hate on. He brings top-shelf velocity with his fastball,and really knows how best to utilize his two-pitch arsenal, which includes a nasty putaway slider. He's made for the late innings and this is one name I'd definitely circle if you're looking for potential Cubs targets coming off this week's non-tender deadline.