The St. Louis Cardinals pressed reset this offseason, fully committing to a rebuild. Four major contributors from the past two years Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras are no longer with the club as the organization shifts its focus toward youth and long-term development.
One notable trade asset still on the roster, however, is left-handed reliever JoJo Romero, who is entering the final year of his contract. While it would be logical for the Cardinals to explore the market for him, the offers so far reportedly haven’t matched their expectations.
Because of that, holding onto Romero at least for now appears to be the sensible move.
Although dealing him before Opening Day could bring value, the Cardinals should only pull the trigger if they receive a compelling return. They managed to secure the right package in other moves this offseason, but patience may be required in Romero’s case.
Waiting until the trade deadline could significantly boost his value. Contending teams often overpay for reliable bullpen arms during the stretch run, especially rental relievers who can stabilize high-leverage innings. If Romero performs anywhere close to last season when he posted a stellar 2.07 ERA his market could intensify dramatically.
Given expectations that St. Louis will likely be sellers at the deadline amid their rebuild, Romero would headline a list of expiring-contract trade candidates. If stronger offers emerge in July from playoff hopefuls seeking bullpen reinforcements, the Cardinals could secure a far better return than what’s currently available.
For now, patience may prove to be the organization’s smartest strategy.
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