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Red Sox Bullpen Solution Could Be One Cardinals Trade Away
Boston could look to acquire lefty reliever JoJo Romero from St. Louis to bolster their bullpen.
Feb. 23, 2026 at 6:21pm
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The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have already made two trades since Chaim Bloom took over as St. Louis' president of baseball operations, and a third deal involving Cardinals lefty reliever JoJo Romero could make sense for both teams. Romero is a known trade candidate who is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season, and he's coming off the best year of his career in 2025 with a 2.07 ERA. The Red Sox are still looking to add a left-handed reliever to their already strong bullpen, and Romero could be an ideal fit.
Why it matters
Acquiring Romero would give the Red Sox another high-quality left-handed arm to pair with their already impressive bullpen, which includes the likes of Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten and Greg Weissert. This could potentially give Boston the best bullpen in baseball on paper, complementing what is already shaping up to be one of the best starting rotations in the league.
The details
Romero, 29, had a breakout 2025 season with the Cardinals, posting a 2.07 ERA in 65 total appearances. 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 for the Red Sox as he's set to hit free agency after 2026, he could still provide a significant boost to their bullpen for the next couple of seasons.
- The Red Sox and Cardinals have already made two trades since Chaim Bloom took over as St. Louis' president of baseball operations.
The players
Chaim Bloom
The president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals.
JoJo Romero
A 29-year-old left-handed reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals who is a known trade candidate and is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.
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
What’s next
If the Red Sox pursue Romero, they would need to work out a trade with the Cardinals, who have shown a willingness to deal with Boston this offseason.
The takeaway
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 and potentially making them an even more formidable team in 2026.
