Cardinals Veteran Connected to Red Sox After Rumor-Filled Offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals shouldn't be done quite yet in the trade market.

May 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A Boston Red Sox hat and glove rests on the railing by the dugout prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals did a good job bringing prospects into the organization throughout the offseason and the club still has an opportunity to make one more move.

Cardinals lefty JoJo Romero was talked about the same as guys like Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras early on in the offseason. With Spring Training in full swing, Donovan, Arenado, Gray and Contreras are all gone but Romero remains.

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That doesn't mean the chatter has stopped, though. For example, MLB Trade Rumors' Nick Deeds floated Romero as a trade possibility for the Boston Red Sox.

The Cardinals shouldn't close the door on any trade

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

"One other possibility worth giving a particular mention to is Cardinals lefty JoJo Romero," Deeds wrote. "Romero has been a known trade candidate all throughout the offseason, and while at this point he appears to be the favorite to serve as St. Louis’s closer in 2026, the rebuilding Cardinals have traded every other pending free agent from their 2025 roster this winter except for the southpaw.

"It certainly stands to reason that president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom would part ways with Romero in the right deal, and successful trades of both Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras from St. Louis to Boston earlier this winter show that Bloom and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow are certainly comfortable working with each other."

For the Cardinals, a Romero deal would make sense if the club could get another intriguing prospect or two. He'll be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season. Now is the time to maximize his value because what if he struggles to kick off the 2026 season? For St. Louis, a landing spot really doesn't matter as long as the club can get value in return for him. The Cardinals and Red Sox have shown a willingness to get deals done, as shown by the Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras trades.

The two sides have been familiar with one another dating back to even before Chaim Bloom took over. The two sides came together on a deal around Steven Matz before the 2025 trade deadline. Also, the Cardinals traded Tyler O'Neill before the 2024 season. For St. Louis, it would make sense to try to get something like this done.

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