This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki¡¯s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DALLAS -- Jordan Romano¡¯s May 8 experience at Citizens Bank Park stuck with him.

It was a Wednesday afternoon. The Blue Jays were playing the Phillies. There were more than 34,000 fans in the stands.

Romano pitched the ninth inning in a 5-3 victory. It was loud.

¡°The atmosphere, I mean, just electric,¡± Romano said Tuesday afternoon in a Zoom call with reporters. ¡°Kind of coming off that series, I was always like, ¡®If I ever got a chance to play here, I think I¡¯d really enjoy it.¡¯ Just the atmosphere.

¡°I think there¡¯s a standard in Philly. You know? A standard with the players, the city, the fans. It¡¯s a high level of performance. A lot of expectations to win. I feel like I have the same expectations myself, so I feel those views are aligned there.¡±

The Phillies on Monday signed Romano to a one-year, $8.5 million contract, which includes incentives. Toronto non-tendered Romano, 31, last month because he missed most of the season with an injured right elbow and was projected to make $7.75 million in salary arbitration.

But after arthroscopic surgery in July, Romano is back on the mound and throwing in the mid-90s. The Phillies think he will be a perfect fit in the back of the bullpen next year.

Romano thinks he will be a good fit in Philly, too.

Romano enters the 2025 season highly motivated. He signed a one-year deal in part because he wanted it. It will afford him the opportunity to re-establish himself as an elite pitcher, then re-enter the free-agent market next offseason with the potential for a lucrative multiyear deal.

If that happens, it will be a win-win for Romano and the Phillies.

¡°Obviously, last year was a really disappointing and frustrating season for me,¡± Romano said. ¡°This year, I want to get back on track. I¡¯m feeling healthy and good now. I wanted the one year to get back out there and prove my worth.¡±

Romano earned 95 saves with the Blue Jays from 2021-23, but he has not been promised a closer¡¯s role in Philadelphia. He will pitch in the late innings, although you can bet that if he is throwing the ball well in Spring Training, he will have his share of save opportunities in April.

After all, Romano is the guy Philadelphia signed to fill the sizable void left by free-agent right-handers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Est¨¦vez. The Phillies said they feel comfortable with the look of their bullpen without replacing both pitchers, although it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see them acquire another late-inning reliever in the coming weeks and months.

But right now, they have Romano.

¡°If they want [me] to throw the ninth, I do love closing, I have experience there and I¡¯m happy to do it,¡± Romano said. ¡°But if they need me in other spots, too, I¡¯m happy to do that. That¡¯s more so what it¡¯s going to be. I¡¯m just there to help get big outs whenever they need them.¡±