The St. Louis Cardinals continue to play well this season despite entering a rebuild under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. They are 35-28 and currently lead the National League wild card race despite the moves they made last offseason to clear the way for younger players.
Bloom is going to have some tough decisions to make at the trade deadline. If the Cardinals are still in contention, then a case can be made that they should be buyers rather than sellers. However, that hasn’t stopped speculation over who might be trade candidates on their roster.
Among the top potential trade chips is left-hander JoJo Romero, who is in the final year of his contract. Bill Ladson of MLB.com listed Romero as the top trade chip on the Cardinals roster as the deadline approaches.
“The Cardinals are getting younger, so don’t be surprised if they make an attempt to trade Romero, 29, for a low-level prospect or a bench player,” Ladson wrote. In fact, according to an opposing National League scout, there are a handful of teams who would love to have Romero in their bullpen. This year, Romero is currently a quality setup man for St. Louis, but can be a ninth-inning stopper. Remember, after right-hander Ryan Helsley was dealt to the Mets last July, Romero saved eight games for St. Louis. Romero will make $4.26 million in 2026 and can be a free agent as early as 2027.”
Cardinals’ JoJo Romero a Top Trade Candidate
Romero has had a solid season out of the Cardinals bullpen. He has lost his only decision but has posted a 3.45 ERA in 29 appearances. Because he is on an expiring contract, he makes sense as somebody the Cardinals could trade, especially if they fall out of contention.
But even if they don’t, they could at least get something for Romero. Often times, rental relievers tend to come at a high price at the trade deadline, so if the Cardinals sell high, then they could truly bring back a solid return.
Chances of Romero being back in St. Louis in 2027 appear to be slim, so that is another reason why capitalizing on his value makes sense. The Cardinals could use some major league ready starting pitching, and they can get that for Romero, as well as some of their other trade chips if they decide to sell at the deadline. Romero has been one of the team’s top relievers since being acquired in 2022 from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cardinals Deadline Path Still Not Clear
While the Cardinals’ direction under Chaim Bloom is clear, they still need to decide what path they will take at the deadline. Ken Rosenthal believes that St. Louis will buy if it remains in playoff contention. Obviously, they won’t go big if they do, but there is still a chance that they could be sellers instead of buyers this summer.
That is where Romero comes in handy as a trade candidate, and it should be interesting to see where the Cardinals are in a couple of weeks.
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