Cardinals May Not Be Done Making Blockbuster Moves Just Yet

The Cardinals could still look to swing another trade or sign a free agent before the offseason ends...

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

The St. Louis Cardinals opted to lean into their rebuild heavier than anybody expected. They've parted ways with multiple top veterans this offseason, including a blockbuster trade that sent Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners.

At this point, most teams are gearing up for spring training and opening day. There are still some small moves to be made, but for the most part, rosters are close to finalized.

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Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently suggested the Cardinals may not be done this offseason. Kelly suggested they could look to trade JoJo Romero or sign another outfielder to complete their winter.

Cardinals may look to make a few more moves this winter

Sep 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero (59) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

"But even if the focus on St. Louis is still on the big picture, the Cardinals are going to have to field a team in 2026. Earlier this month, Bloom said the Cards are still looking to acquire another outfielder," Kelly wrote. "Perhaps they could be another team that winds up being a suitor for Castellanos, though Jordan Walker probably provides the same mixture of offensive uncertainty and poorly-graded defense. And Walker is a decade younger than Castellanos.

"It is interesting to consider some former Cardinals. Tommy Pham, already a Cardinal twice, is a free agent. Randal Grichuck—who spent parts of four seasons in St. Louis to begin his career—has traditionally hit left-handed pitching well, so maybe he could be a platoon partner for Lars Nootbaar. The aforementioned O'Neill could be an option via trade, especially if the Orioles would attach a prospect."

Trading Romero would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals. He's fairly valuable on the trade block and the Cardinals don't gain much from keeping a star reliever on the roster during a rebuild.

Instead, they could flip him for two or three more prospects in an attempt to make their farm system one of the best units in baseball.

The Cardinals could also target a veteran outfielder to help stabilize their roster. If that outfielder crushes during the first half of the season, the Cardinals could flip him at the trade deadline in the same way they did with Phil Maton last year.

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