Although the St. Louis Cardinals have exceeded expectations to this point in the season, it would not be surprising if president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom and the front office decide to move one or two players before the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline.
One name that continues to surface in trade discussions is veteran left-handed reliever JoJo Romero. According to ESPN insider Jeff Passan, Romero is widely expected to be dealt before the deadline arrives later this summer. Passan suggested that a move involving the southpaw is highly likely, noting that nearly every contender is constantly searching for dependable left-handed bullpen arms. (Yahoo Sports)
When evaluating the Cardinals’ overall situation, Passan pointed out that the team already made a number of roster adjustments during the offseason, effectively trimming parts of the roster months ago. Because of that earlier activity, St. Louis does not have an abundance of obvious trade candidates at this stage of the season. In other words, the club’s flexibility to subtract from the current roster is somewhat limited compared to other teams that held onto more tradable assets over the winter.
One player who might have drawn interest is outfielder Lars Nootbaar, though his situation is complicated. He has yet to appear in a game this season, but he remains an appealing piece due to his ability to get on base at a high rate, his defensive versatility in the outfield including some capability in center field and the fact that he is still under team control beyond this year. Those factors make him valuable to St. Louis, and potentially to other clubs, but also less likely to be moved unless the Cardinals receive a compelling offer.
Romero, however, stands out as a much clearer trade candidate. As a left-handed reliever with solid performance history, he fits a profile that is always in demand across the league.
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Bullpen help, particularly from the left side, is one of the most sought-after commodities at the trade deadline, especially for contenders looking to strengthen their pitching depth for a postseason run. Because of that league-wide need, Romero’s market is expected to be strong, making him one of the most logical players for St. Louis to move in exchange for future assets.
Another name worth monitoring is starting pitcher Dustin May, who is also approaching free agency. As one of the Cardinals’ few players on an expiring contract, May could attract interest from teams seeking rotation help for the stretch run. While his situation may not be as clear-cut as Romero’s, he represents another potential piece that could be dealt depending on how the market develops and where the Cardinals stand in the standings.
Perhaps the most intriguing question facing the Cardinals involves closer Riley O’Brien. Unlike Romero or May, O’Brien is not nearing free agency and actually has multiple years of team control remaining. However, he is already 31 years old, which creates an interesting dilemma for the front office.
On one hand, having a dominant closer under control for several more seasons is a valuable asset for a team hoping to contend. On the other hand, relievers can be volatile, and their trade value is often highest when they are performing at an elite level.
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Because of that, rival teams are reportedly curious whether St. Louis might consider capitalizing on O’Brien’s current value and moving him while his stock is high. Doing so could allow the Cardinals to acquire significant long-term assets, particularly if they are thinking more about sustained competitiveness rather than short-term gains. Still, trading a proven closer is never an easy decision, especially for a team that has played better than many expected.
Ultimately, the Cardinals find themselves in a somewhat unique position. Their stronger-than-anticipated performance might suggest they should act as buyers, adding pieces to push for a postseason berth. However, the structure of their roster — combined with the limited number of obvious trade candidates — could still lead them to make selective moves that balance both present and future considerations.
Romero appears to be the most straightforward case. Given the consistent demand for left-handed relievers and his relative expendability compared to other players on the roster, all signs point toward him being dealt before the deadline. (ESPN.com)
As the trade deadline approaches, the Cardinals will need to carefully weigh their options. Whether they choose to make minor adjustments or pursue more significant changes, the decisions made by Bloom and the front office could shape not only the remainder of the 2026 season but also the organization’s trajectory in the years ahead.
The Cardinals Should Trade JoJo Romero
This is exactly the kind of situation the Cardinals should be preparing for. JoJo Romero is coming off the strongest campaign of his career in 2025, when he firmly established himself as one of the most reliable arms in the bullpen.
Over the course of that season, he made 65 appearances and posted an outstanding 2.07 ERA across 61 innings, while compiling a 55-to-29 strikeout-to-walk ratio. (FantasyData) Those numbers highlighted just how effective he was in high-leverage situations and why he became such an important piece of the pitching staff.
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Given that level of production, there is a reasonable argument that Romero could have been moved earlier, particularly during the organization’s aggressive offseason reshuffling.
The Cardinals parted ways with several established veterans during that period, including Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, and Brendan Donovan, signaling a willingness to rework the roster and look toward the future. Considering Romero’s value at the time, he might have fit into that same wave of departures, especially since his trade value was arguably at its peak following such a dominant season.
Now, however, the situation looks a bit different. Romero is still a useful bullpen piece, but he has not quite matched the elite performance he delivered in 2025. Recently, he has shown some signs of regression, giving up at least one run in each of his last two outings.
In one appearance, he surrendered a run while recording just two outs, and in the following game, he allowed two earned runs over another short stint. These back-to-back performances have slightly inflated his numbers and serve as a reminder of how volatile relief pitching can be from year to year.
As things currently stand, Romero owns a 3.54 ERA through 28 appearances this season. (ESPN.com) That figure is still respectable and indicates that he remains a solid contributor out of the bullpen.
However, it does represent a noticeable step back from the exceptional 2.07 ERA he recorded a year ago. While a mid-3.00 ERA is far from poor especially for a reliever who is often used in challenging situations it does not carry quite the same impact or trade appeal as his previous numbers.
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Another key factor influencing Romero’s outlook is his contract status. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, which introduces a significant level of uncertainty. Once he reaches the open market, there is no guarantee that he will return to St. Louis, particularly if other teams are willing to offer more attractive deals. That reality makes him a classic trade candidate: a player with value in the present but an unclear future with his current club.
Adding another layer of complexity is the broader uncertainty surrounding Major League Baseball’s labor situation. With the current collective bargaining agreement scheduled to expire in December, there is a lack of clarity about what the league’s economic landscape will look like beyond the 2026 season.
That uncertainty could influence how teams approach both free agency and long-term roster planning, making it even more difficult for the Cardinals to project Romero’s future with the organization.
Given all of these factors, it makes a great deal of sense for St. Louis to seriously consider trading him before the deadline. If the Cardinals can secure promising prospects in return, it would be a logical move that aligns with both short-term flexibility and long-term planning. Rather than risk losing Romero for nothing in free agency, the team could convert his remaining value into younger talent that might contribute in the years ahead.
Of course, timing will play an important role in maximizing that return. Ideally, Romero would regain some of the form he displayed in 2025, even if only over a brief stretch. A strong run of performances leading up to the trade deadline could increase interest from contending teams and potentially spark a competitive bidding environment. Left-handed relievers are always in demand, and if Romero is pitching well, multiple teams could view him as a key addition to their bullpen for a postseason push.
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In that scenario, the Cardinals would be in an advantageous position. With several teams potentially vying for his services, they could leverage that demand to extract a stronger package of prospects. Even a modest improvement in his recent outings could help reinforce his reputation as a dependable late-inning option and remind teams of the dominant pitcher he was just a season ago.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to asset management. Romero has already proven his value, but his future with the team is uncertain, and his current performance level, while solid, may not fully match his previous peak. For a team navigating both competitive aspirations and long-term planning, moving him at the right time could be the most prudent course of action.
If everything breaks right, Romero stabilizes his performance, interest around the league intensifies, and the Cardinals capitalize by turning a short-term bullpen piece into meaningful future assets. Under those circumstances, a trade would not just make sense—it would be the smart, forward-thinking move for the organization.
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