Re-Sign or Cut Ties? How 4 Cardinals Contracts Are Trending Early

The St. Louis Cardinals keep finding ways to take down other talented teams around Major League Baseball.

St. Louis swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in a four-game series and followed up by taking two games from the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Monday, the Cardinals welcomed the Milwaukee Brewers to Busch Stadium and won the first game of a three-game set.

Now, St. Louis is 21-14 on the season and is in sole possession of second place in the National League Central. The Cardinals are two games behind the Chicago Cubs for first place and one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for third place. The Pirates are in fourth place at 19-16. The Brewers currently are in last place in the division at 18-16.

It's been a wild ride for the Cardinals and what makes it better, is the fact that the vast majority of the roster is young and under team control beyond the 2026 season. Over the course of the 2026 season, there will be a few guys to watch who may not be back in 2027. Here's a look at four contract situations for the Cardinals to watch beyond the 2026 season.

JoJo Romero — Unrestricted Free Agent After 2026

Apr 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jojo Romero (59) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Romero is 29 years old and has a 3.71 ERA in 17 total appearances for the Cardinals out of the bullpen so far this season. Romero was talked about as a trade candidate throughout this past offseason in large part because he is a pending free agent after the 2026 season. Also, he was lights-out in 2025 with a 2.07 ERA in 65 appearances. Right now, he's not pitching at the same level, which could hurt his market in free agency. It certainly wouldn't hurt to see if the two sides could work out some sort of deal.

Ramón Urías — Mutual Option For 2027

Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Ramon Urias (29) takes batting practice before the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Cardinals signed Urías to a one-year deal with a $4 million mutual option for the 2027 season. The former Gold Glove Award winner is making $1.5 million in 2026. So far, he's slashing .158/.279/.316 with two homers and five RBIs. It's very rare to see a mutual option get picked up. The most likely option is the veteran heading back to free agency, if he's not traded.

Ryne Stanek — Club Option For 2027

Apr 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Stanek signed a one-year deal with a $6 million club option for the 2027 season. Right now, it's safe to assume that he'll either be traded or that option will not be picked up. Stanek is making $3.5 million in 2026 and has a 7.20 ERA in 17 total appearances for St. Louis.

Dustin May — Mutual Option For 2027

May 1, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) poses for a photo with his 2025 World Series ring gifted to him by his former team the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to their game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

May signed a one-year deal with a $20 million mutual option for the 2027 season. He has shown flashes of the guy who can be near the top of the rotation. But he also put up a few tough starts to kick off the season. Mutual options are rarely picked up. The most likely option here is a trade or free agency after the season.

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