For Jordan Romano and Matt Buschmann, it feels like 2022 all over again.

Flash back four seasons and that duo was working together in Toronto, with Romano as the All-Star closer for the Blue Jays and Buschmann as the team’s bullpen coach and director of pitching development. Romano finished that season with a 2.11 ERA and the first of consecutive seasons with 36 saves.

“It was my first job coaching in the big leagues,” Buschmann said after a session with Romano under the hot Colorado sun on Tuesday. “That was his first time in the big leagues. We both matured together.”

The pairing, however, would be snapped in the offseason before the 2023 campaign. Buschmann left the organization in January while Romano stayed behind to put together another All-Star season, even though the ERA ticked a little higher to 2.90.

“We worked really well together. He always helped keep me on track,” Romano said of Buschmann. “Without him, I got a little bit too far off track. He was really good about every couple of weeks going over the outings with me. He would say, ‘Here’s what I’m seeing’ or ‘let’s fix this’ or ‘let’s stay on track.’”

Big changes were in store for Romano in 2024. He pitched in only 15 games that season, battling right elbow issues, a condition that eventually forced him to undergo surgery. Faced with the business decision of paying an estimated $7.75 million to keep him for 2025, the Blue Jays non-tendered him and his 105 career saves with the organization.

“I really loved Toronto. I enjoyed it,” Romano said. “I just envisioned … I know it’s super rare for a reliever to play in one spot your whole time in the big leagues, but when they let me go, I was like, ‘OK, this is a business. They have to make their decisions.’

“It hurt. Damn, man, I put my heart and soul and then …”

Romano insists there are no hard feelings about the Blue Jays’ decision. Instead of getting angry, Romano decided it was time to move on and see where he could continue his career.

However, it wasn’t that easy.

A 2025 spent in Philadelphia was disastrous as Romano’s ERA ballooned to 8.23 in 42.2 innings. He opted for free agency and started this season with the Los Angeles Angels. However, after posting a 10.13 ERA in 8.0 innings, the Angels released him on April 27.

Nine days later, he was reunited with Buschmann, now serving as Colorado’s bullpen coach, as the Rockies inked him to a minor league deal.

Right after signing, Romano was sent to Scottsdale to work in Colorado’s pitching lab. After some analysis and suggestions, he pitched in one Arizona Complex League game before being sent to Triple-A in early June. On July 4, he was back in the big leagues, serving as a late-inning option for the Rockies.

A whirlwind 2026? Absolutely, but the numbers show the work Buschmann and the Rockies have done with Romano is paying off. In his first 5.2 innings with the Rockies, Romano’s ERA stood at 1.59 ERA with three saves, including a two-strikeout inning to finish off Tuesday’s 8-7 win over Washington.

“I think he never found what he felt back in Toronto when he was locked in,” Buschmann said. “I think part of that is dealing with injuries. It’s usually longer than we want, but I do think he finally has his strength back to preinjury levels. That means he is able to access a lot of the delivery things he was doing back then and understands them a little better.”

Romano sees and feels the difference but also knows he isn’t 100% back to his All-Star form in Toronto.

“I put in a lot of work this offseason, and the velocity was a lot lower than I expected it to be. I’m still trying to figure that out,” Romano said. “I’m trying to gain a couple of ticks on the velocity because when that happens, the slider plays better and everything plays better.”

“His superpower is his slider and his command of the slider. He’s never really lost that,” Buschmann added. “Getting enough of his fastball velocity back to help that play will be big.”

When will that happen? The 33-year-old Romano is working toward and waiting for that day.

“That’s the last missing piece,” Romano said. “Some days, I feel it. Some days I don’t. It’s hit or miss right now. I’m hoping it ticks up.”

Romano may be frustrated waiting for that last piece of the puzzle, but he’s come far. He’s not ready to shrug his shoulders and say 2022 can never happen again.

“That’s why I’m playing,” Romano smiled. “If I didn’t believe it, I would just hang it up. I think I can still get there. It takes a lot of work, right? But I’m happy to put in the work. That’s the most enjoyable part about baseball is doing that and unlocking something.”