Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Blue Jays released left-handed pitcher Ricky Romero on Saturday, ending a tumultuous 10-year tenure with the organization.
Drafted with the No. 6 pick in the 2005 draft, Romero made his major league debut in 2009 and signed a five-year, $30.1 million contract extension in the midst of a breakout 2010 campaign. He made the American League All-Star team as a 26-year-old in 2011 with 178 strikeouts and a 2.92 ERA in 225 innings.
Romero then started 2012 with an 8-1 record but collapsed in the season's closing months to finish 9-14 with a 5.77 and with a major league-leading 105 walks. He was removed from Toronto's 40-man roster for most of the 2013 season and made just four appearances with the Blue Jays that year, allowing nine runs in 7 1/3 innings.
In 2014, Romero pitched 37 2/3 innings for Triple-A Buffalo and posted a 5.50 ERA and 42 walks. He missed most of the season after undergoing knee surgery and was on the disabled list for Double-A New Hampshire to start the 2015 season.
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