DALLAS – The Phillies are betting on Jordan Romano’s return to dominance in 2025.

Sources told MLB.com at the Winter Meetings on Monday afternoon that the Phillies and Romano agreed to a one-year deal, which is still pending. The 31-year-old Romano was one of the best closers in baseball from 2021 to 2023 before suffering a right elbow injury last season. The Blue Jays did not offer Romano after the season, even though they said his medicals were normal.

Romano was expected to earn more than $7 million as part of the salary arbitration.

Romano posted a 2.37 ERA, saved 95 games and made two AL All-Star teams in 2021-23, recording 230 strikeouts and drawing 70 walks in 186 innings. According to Baseball Reference, he posted an MLB-best WAR of 7.4 among relievers in those three years. (Milwaukee’s Devin Williams ranked second with 6.3 WAR.)

But Romano suffered an elbow injury this year and was unable to pitch after May 29. In July he had to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his elbow.

It is unclear whether this move marks the end of the Phillies tenures of Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman. Both were ninth-inning pitchers for Philadelphia last season, but both are also free agents. However, Romano trying to re-establish himself as one of the game’s best closers could allow the Phils to make room for another right-handed reliever.

Last week, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said they would likely sign just one right-hander to complement a group that includes left-handers Matt Strahm, Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks, and right-handers Orion Kerkering and Jose Ruiz .