Cardinals' Romero Could Bolster Red Sox Bullpen

Boston looking to add left-handed relief help, and St. Louis' JoJo Romero could be the answer

Feb. 23, 2026 at 6:04pm

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The Boston Red Sox are still in the market for a left-handed reliever, and the St. Louis Cardinals' JoJo Romero could be the solution. Romero, who is a pending free agent, is coming off a strong 2025 season with a 2.07 ERA in 65 appearances. The Red Sox and Cardinals have already made a couple of trades this offseason, so a deal for Romero could make sense for both teams.

Why it matters

Adding a proven left-handed reliever like Romero could give the Red Sox one of the best bullpens in baseball, complementing their already strong starting rotation. The Red Sox have shown a willingness to work with the Cardinals this offseason, so a trade for Romero would continue that trend.

The details

Romero, 29, had the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 2.07 ERA in 65 appearances for the Cardinals. He has a 3.55 ERA over six MLB seasons and hasn't had an ERA above 3.68 since 2022. While he would only be a short-term option as he's set to hit free agency after 2026, the Red Sox could still benefit from his services as they look to bolster their bullpen.

  • The Red Sox and Cardinals have already made two trades this offseason.

The players

JoJo Romero

A 29-year-old left-handed relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals who is a pending free agent after the 2026 season.

Chaim Bloom

The president of baseball operations for the Boston Red Sox, who previously worked with the Cardinals.

Craig Breslow

The chief baseball officer for the Boston Red Sox, who has worked with Chaim Bloom on trades with the Cardinals.

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What they’re saying

“One other possibility worth giving a particular mention to is Cardinals lefty JoJo Romero. Romero has been a known trade candidate all throughout the offseason, and while at this point he appears to be the favorite to serve as St. Louis's closer in 2026, the rebuilding Cardinals have traded every other pending free agent from their 2025 roster this winter except for the southpaw.”

— Nick Deeds, MLB Trade Rumors writer

What’s next

The Red Sox and Cardinals will likely continue discussions about a potential trade involving JoJo Romero, as Boston looks to add a left-handed reliever to its bullpen.

The takeaway

The Red Sox and Cardinals have shown a willingness to work together on trades this offseason, and adding JoJo Romero could give Boston's already strong bullpen an even bigger boost as they aim to contend for a World Series title.