Cardinals Should Shift Trade Focus To 5-Year Veteran After Brendan Donovan Update

The Cardinals might need to change course.

Apr 15, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A cap rests on the dug out wall with the number 42 on the hat in honor of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been busy this winter. They signed right-hander Dustin May to bolster their starting rotation, but also traded ace Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox.

They have more work to do on their rebuild, and more trades could ultimately follow. However, Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal reported that there is a holdup in the Brendan Donovan sweepstakes. The Cardinals see him as a star, but not all other teams do.

As such, the Cardinals might not get the offer they want for him, and in that case should keep him. But they still can get something good for left-hander JoJo Romero.

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Cardinals Still Have A Valuable Trade Chip

Sep 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher JoJo Romero (59) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Romero is in the final year of his contract. While it wouldn’t be egregious to hold onto him, it makes more sense to trade him and see what they can get in return.

He’ll likely bring back a few solid prospects that help the Cardinals move forward in their rebuild, and it would be wise to trade him before he hits free agency.

A Donovan trade now seems less likely, and the Cardinals are going to be hard-pressed to find a suitor for Nolan Arenado. Now, Romero would appear to be their best trade chip, as it seems unlikely that a team is going to overpay for Donovan.

Plenty of contenders could use a left-handed reliever at the back end of their bullpen. Romero has closing experience and would be a solid addition to any team looking for help.

Last year, he went 4-6 with a 2.07 ERA and recorded eight saves in 65 appearances with St. Louis. Teams had interest in him at the trade deadline, too, and there’s been a lot of interest this offseason.

Trading Romero isn’t something that absolutely needs to happen, but it would be smart for Chaim Bloom to capitalize on the interest he is receiving in him from contending teams and seeing what he can get to move the needle in the Cardinals’ rebuild.

It will be interesting to see if a team ultimately does acquire Romero from St. Louis. If not, he’ll likely be moved at the trade deadline instead, which could also work out well for St. Louis.

More MLB: Cardinals Have Clear Reason To Keep Brendan Donovan After Latest Update