Rumors- LHP JoJo Romero

Rumors - LHP Jojo Romero

When the winter began, it didn’t take long for the name JoJo Romero to surface in trade speculation surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals.

The logic wasn’t complicated.

Romero is under club control through 2026 and coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 2.07 ERA across 65 appearances. He wasn’t just good — he was one of the most effective left-handed relievers in the National League. Left-handed hitters rarely squared him up, and his ability to handle leverage innings gave the Cardinals stability in a bullpen that otherwise saw fluctuation.

So yes, on paper, he checks every box as a trade candidate:

Approaching free agency (after 2026)
High value following a career year
Affordable contract
Controllable for multiple seasons
Sought-after profile (late-inning lefty)
That’s how contenders shop. And that’s how sellers replenish.

Why Trade Him Now?
If the Cardinals were in full tear-down mode, Romero likely would have been moved earlier in the offseason. High-leverage lefties with swing-and-miss stuff don’t grow on trees, and the return could have been meaningful — especially from a contender needing October bullpen depth.

There’s also the simple calendar reality. The closer a player gets to free agency, the more his surplus value shrinks.

Why Wait?
But here’s the counterpoint — and it’s a strong one.

The Cardinals are not signaling a rebuild. They are retooling. And bullpen depth is not a luxury; it’s oxygen. You don’t move one of your most reliable arms in February unless you’re blown away.

If St. Louis hangs in the race into July, Romero’s value may actually increase. Deadline prices for bullpen arms are notoriously aggressive. Contenders overpay when October is within reach. The return in July could outpace anything available in January.

And if the Cardinals are in the thick of it themselves? Then trading Romero doesn’t make sense at all.

The Verdict (For Now)
At this point, the smart money says Romero stays put — at least until the trade deadline clarifies the club’s direction.

He is too valuable to move cheaply.
Too effective to give away.
And too important to a bullpen trying to stabilize.

The rumor makes baseball sense. But so does patience.

And in St. Louis, patience has usually served the organization well.

If this is the final veteran domino of the offseason, it may simply be one the Cardinals choose not to tip — not yet.

Let’s keep the coffee warm. July will tell us more than February ever could.