Ricky Romero’s big fall from grace carries on.
According to Shi Davidi of Canada’s Sportsnet, the left-hander has officially been optioned to High-A Dunedin. Romero allowed six hits, three walks and three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. He wound up posting a 6.23 ERA, 2.08 WHIP and 8/10 K/BB ratio in 13 total spring frames.
Romero will try to right the ship down on the farm. J.A. Happ, meanwhile, will take his rotation spot.
Romero registered an exceptional (and somewhat ace-like) 2.92 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 178/80 K/BB ratio across 225 innings for the Jays in 2011. But the 28-year-old southpaw had a 5.77 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 124/105 K/BB ratio in 181 innings last season.
