Cardinals 6-Year Veteran Rumored to Be Next On Chopping Block

The St. Louis Cardinals were the most active team in the trade market.

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Could Chaim Bloom strike once again in the trade market before Opening Day for the St. Louis Cardinals?

The trades were the story of the offseason, but one of the guys who was in a chunk of rumors didn't get moved in JoJo Romero. There was a time when teams like the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees were among the teams linked to Romero early in the offseason. But here we are. Opening Day is roughly three weeks away and Romero is one of the team's few left-handed bullpen options.

While this is the case, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch did say that Romero still could be the next go from St. Louis.

What's next for St. Louis?

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

"What the Cardinals appear to be setting up is a fleet of right-handers to use in relief and to broaden the depth and availability there beyond the seven or eight spots on the major league roster," Goold wrote. "[George Soriano} is out of options, but that hints at the Cardinals’ pursuit of upside, not just prioritizing flexibility. Who they open the season with is not necessarily who they’ll close April with, let alone rely on by midseason or late season.

"From the left, JoJo Romero returns and could eventually be the next player moved in a trade. The Cardinals applaud Packy Naughton’s return from surgery after missing most of two years, and they trust his competitiveness. While newcomer Justin Bruihl has done well, and he’s the one with a spot already on the roster."

The clock is ticking. We will see moves pop up around the league over the next few weeks, but should the Cardinals look to move him now or wait until the trade deadline? The trade deadline would be risky because what if he struggles to begin the season? While this is the case, it's arguably a risk the club should take at this point.

The Cardinals did a good job throughout the offseason with all of the moves. With limited lefty options, keeping Romero could help the team in the short term and hopefully boost his stock even higher. If the Cardinals were going to get a big return, arguably, it would've happened already as well.