Cardinals Still Have Decisions to Make as Offseason Nears the Finish Line

It's been a busy winter for St. Louis.

Sep 11, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of the 9/11 ribbon on a St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals were quick and decisive this past offseason in terms of subtracting key veterans from their roster. Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado are all gone, signaling a full rebuild in St. Louis for the first time in over three decades.

They avoided rebuilding under John Mozeliak, but Chaim Bloom has come in and created a clear vision for the future. There are still moves that they could look to make though to set themselves up for not just 2026, but the future as well.

Here are two things the Cardinals can do with time running out in the offseason.

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Decide on JoJo Romero

Sep 13, 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

Romero is a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, and he was also listed as one of the Cardinals' trade chips this winter. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said in his weekly Cardinals chat though that a trade is uncertain at this point.

"It's coin flip whether Romero gets traded at this point before opening day. He's here in camp. We're a time in the calendar where teams want to see what they have internally and can look at their lefties off the roster and in their organization for fits, and there's no problem doing that for a few more weeks, even a month now," Goold wrote.

"But as the performance and health starts to reveal itself in the closing weeks of March, the need for a lefty reliever here and there will grow and Romero will be an option for teams to look at."

The Cardinals have a decision to make. They could bring back a few decent prospects for Romero, who is in the final year of his contract. Or they could choose to hold onto him until the trade deadline.

Add a right-handed outfield bat

Jul 29, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Randal Grichuk (15) runs to third base during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

In free agency, there aren't a lot of platoon bats still available, and it's not like St. Louis is a prime destination for any free agent. They're rebuilding and have their focus set on the future rather than the present.

But there are still some options, including former Cardinal Randal Grichuk, who could be signed to a one-year deal. They need somebody to platoon against left-handed pitchers and give some of their lefty bats a bit of a break.

It's not a move that would push them towards contention, but it would allow them to balance out their roster a little bit and have a right-handed option against lefty pitching. Whichever bat they sign could also be a trade candidate at the deadline.

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