Cardinals Lefty JoJo Romero Already Becoming Hot Trade Target

The St. Louis Cardinals have a piece that rival clubs "would love" to add ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.

May 10, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jojo Romero (59) delivers during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

There were some questions around the St. Louis Cardinals over the last few weeks as they hit a bit of adversity.

St. Louis was swept in a three-game series by the Milwaukee Brewers from May 25 through May 27. The Cardinals responded by sweeping the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series, but then dropped two out of three against the Texas Rangers.

The Cardinals have responded and bounced back, though. St. Louis has won four straight games, including a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds at home at Busch Stadium. Now, the Cardinals are off on Monday, sporting a 35-28 record and sitting comfortably in second place in the National League Central. The Brewers are in first place at 40-23. The Pittsburgh Pirates are in third place and are 2 1/2 games behind the Cardinals.

Right now, the Cardinals look more like a playoff team — especially with Lars Nootbaar in the mix and Nathan Church expected to return — than a club that you'd typically expect to deal pieces away ahead of the trade deadline. When it comes to St. Louis, it's going to be very interesting to see what it does if it keeps winning. As of right now, the club hasn't shown an indication that it's going to add. In fact, ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote that the Cardinals are "highly unlikely to add." St. Louis looks like it's a year ahead of schedule after dealing veterans away this past offseason. It still wouldn't be shocking to see a piece or two get moved, while trying to toe the line between winning this season and thinking about the future. With that being said, MLB.com's Bill Ladson pointed to reliever JoJo Romero as the club's top trade chip and noted that there are a "handful of teams" who "would love" to add the lefty to their bullpen.

The Cardinals Should Still Consider A Move

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jojo Romero (59) pitches during the eighth inning of the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday May 27, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Cardinals: LHP JoJo Romero," Ladson wrote. "The Cardinals are getting younger, so don’t be surprised if they make an attempt to trade Romero, 29, for a low-level prospect or a bench player. In fact, according to an opposing National League scout, there are a handful of teams who would love to have Romero in their bullpen.

"This year, Romero is currently a quality setup man for St. Louis, but can be a ninth-inning stopper. Remember, after right-hander Ryan Helsley was dealt to the Mets last July, Romero saved eight games for St. Louis. Romero will make $4.26 million in 2026 and can be a free agent as early as 2027."

Passan also has mentioned Romero as a trade chip and noted that the Cardinals will "almost certainly" move him.

Romero is going to be a free agent after the season and has a 3.45 ERA in 29 outings. He's the exact type of player the Cardinals should move. Even if the Cardinals try to toe the line between selling pieces and still maximizing wins in 2026, Romero is going to be a free agent after the season. Relievers are a premium every year at the deadline. The Cardinals could get a solid return and then replace his production with an internal piece. There are options who could help already in the organization.

Unless the Cardinals go on some sort of crazy run and are 10 or 15 or more games above .500 ahead of the trade deadline, this is the type of move St. Louis should look to make.