One World Series Player Who Would Be a Perfect Fit for the Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen is in desperate need of reinforcements, so the team should be interested in a reunion with a veteran reliever this offseason.

Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher JoJo Romero (33) reacts during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the Milwaukee Brewers set to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series, it's nearly time for the official start of the offseason.

For the St. Louis Cardinals, the offseason began sooner than for some teams after missing the playoffs. Despite exceeding expectations this season, it would be surprising to see the Cardinals make a big move during free agency. In addition to a weak free-agent class and the threat of an MLB lockout, St. Louis isn't in a great position to truly compete for a championship. So why would the team spend big?

That doesn't necessarily mean the Cardinals will be entirely quiet in free agency. Similar to what the team did this season, it would make sense for St. Louis to make a few smaller additions to fill holes in their roster by adding veterans the team can later flip at the trade deadline. The Cardinals took this approach with Dustin May this year and bolstered their farm system by trading him to the Brewers at the deadline.

There are plenty of talented players in the World Series who will be free agents this offseason. With that in mind, one player who would be a perfect fit for the Cardinals in free agency would be left-handed reliever JoJo Romero.

St. Louis should be interested in a reunion with Romero

Jul 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jojo Romero (59) throws against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Romero spent the first half of the season in St. Louis before being traded to Milwaukee as part of the May deal. In 44 games with the Cardinals this season, the 30-year-old reliever posted a 3.35 ERA, striking out 43 batters in 43 innings. After being traded to the Brewers, Romero performed eerily similarly, posting a 3.38 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. Since the start of the postseason, Romero has performed even better, allowing just one run on two hits across four appearances.

The Cardinals' bullpen was one of the team's biggest weaknesses this season, blowing 30 saves and ranked in the bottom third of the league in bullpen ERA, and they have an ongoing need for left-handed relief pitching. With Romero's familiarity with the organization, he would be a great free agent to target, especially since St. Louis wouldn't have to give up much to acquire him.

Romero is making a real impact on a talented postseason team. The Cardinals won't make any major signings this offseason, but the 30-year-old could be a smart player to target.