Cardinals Mock Trade Would Send Star Pitcher to Yankees for 2 Prospects

The Yankees could be the perfect landing spot in a trade for Cardinals reliever JoJo Romero...

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

The St. Louis Cardinals completely committed to their rebuild this offseason. They opted to trade four of their best veterans in an attempt to build the farm system and the young core. This should help the team win games in the future, though the present day isn't the most thrilling situation.

Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado were all moved to contending teams this offseason. As a result, the Cardinals farm system took a huge step forward. But St. Louis might not be done yet.

They could be looking to trade JoJo Romero in the coming weeks or months, too. He's a very talented reliever and there are plenty of teams that would make sense as a landing spot. In fact, the New York Yankees desperately need another high leverage arm for their bullpen, so a trade for Romero would make perfect sense.

Here's a mock trade that could make it happen:

Why it works for the Yankees

Feb 20, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) watches a group of players take batting practice before the start of the spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Yankees have two solid lefties in their bullpen already, but they're more lefty specialists than anything.

Romero would be the high leverage lefty who could be utilized as the setup man in New York.

After losing players like Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, they need to make a big addition. Romero is the perfect target because he won't require a blockbuster prospect return, but the talent is enough to make a deal worthwhile.

Why it works for the Cardinals

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

While losing Romero would be a crushing blow, it doesn't impact the Cardinals long term future in a negative way. They're not trying to win right now, so having a shutdown closer doesn't mean as much as it does to a contending team.

Meanwhile, Kyle Carr would be a very welcomed addition to the farm system. Carr, the Yankees No. 11 prospect in MLB Pipeline's top 30, was very dominant in his 22 starts at the High-A level last year. He surrendered 81 hits in 119 1/3 innings while holding a sub-2.00 ERA. The lefty struggled at the Double-A level, but his season as a whole was a huge success.

Brock Selvidge has been very consistent in his pro career. He hasn't been crushed at any point, which is a good sign for having a high floor. He might not have the ceiling of an ace, but the lefty is a solid prospect with big league potential.