Potential JoJo Romero Trade Could Create New Options for Cardinals

The Cardinals are openly shopping their lefty reliever.

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

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the early stages of their rebuild under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. They are expected to trade several players this offseason.

On the list of potential trade candidates are Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero, Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado. Romero presents an interesting case for the Cardinals, as he is in the final year of his contract.

The Cardinals are expected to move him, and Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat outlines what this means for 2026 as far as what they are seeking and how they can capitalize on the value of some of their trade chips.

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What Trading Romero Can Do For The Cardinals

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

“By trading Romero now and capitalizing on a market that is hungry for left-handed relievers, the Cardinals give themselves two opportunities. If they receive assets for Romero in the short term, those can become long-term pieces in the organization. Any free agent signed is also likely to be on a one-year deal - or at most, one year with an option for a second - and could become another trade asset in August,” Jones writes.

The Cardinals are looking for a left-handed reliever in free agency. The options are relatively thin, so that might be tough, especially if Romero is traded.

Romero went 4-6 with a 2.07 ERA in 65 appearances for St. Louis. He also picked up eight saves.

But trading Romero does open up a lot of possibilities for St. Louis. If they sign another left-hander to a one-year contract, he could give them the veteran experience they need, essentially replacing Romero, and could also be a trade chip at the deadline.

The Cardinals could also land a younger left-hander in a potential Romero trade, having capitalized on his value. The Cardinals should try their best not to let Romero walk in free agency for nothing.

By trading him, new opportunities arise for the team and their younger pieces, and they can still find ways to make some improvements for 2026. It may be a long year in St. Louis, but the best thing to do is capitalize on their assets and bring back younger pieces in exchange to bolster the future.

Moving Romero allows them to do just that while staying focused on their rebuild. It will be interesting to see what Bloom decides to do and what he can get back for the veteran left-hander in a trade.

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