3 Cardinals who could still be traded before Opening Day

The offseason might be over, but the Cardinals' flurry of trades may not be. The Redbirds have plenty of firepower left to dangle in front of the trade market. Here are three Cardinals who could say sayonara before 2026 formally introduces itself via Opening Day: 

JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero is the first name that comes to mind when you think of trade chips. The southpaw hurler is coming off a career year in which he pitched to a 2.07 ERA and recorded 8 saves, a career high. The underlying metrics speak to his true reliever prowess. Unlike many of his other high-leverage counterparts, Romero doesn’t rely on strike three. Rather, he induces weak contact, misses the barrel, and loves the good old-fashioned groundball (95th percentile groundball rate, 57.1%). 

Romero has found his science to get Major League hitters out. His slider is a devastating pitch for either batter’s box, and he pairs it with a bowling ball sinker that creates a pitch-mix with elite value. The Red Sox have been reported to be in the mix for a lefty for their pen, and other potential fits could include the Diamondbacks and the Mets. 

Pedro Pages

The next player who finds himself in limbo is the 2025 Cardinal catcher, Pedro Pages.

Pages, 27, has carved out a career by excelling behind the dish at framing and throwing out runners. Unfortunately, every step he has taken forward defensively, his bat lags. The Cardinals have no reason to start a player who’s proven to be a stable backup. On February 2nd, Jimmy Crooks and Yohel Pozo both launched mammoth homeruns enroute to a Cardinals spring victory. 

If the rest of the Cardinal catching cohort continues to produce, where does that leave Pages? I’ll tell you where, backing up another team's catcher. He deserves to be on a Big League roster; he’s proven that. A deal to send him elsewhere could be beneficial for both sides. Teams that could be in the mix to upgrade their second-string catching duties include the Red Sox, the Marlins, and the Royals. 

Thomas Saggese

Thomas Saggese rounds out our list as the current odd man out in camp. Simply put: where’s he gonna play? How is St. Louis going to find a way to get Saggese, Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, and Ivan Herrera the at-bats they need to mature as hitters? It’s timeto trim the fat. Unfortunately, that’s the title that Saggese has earned to this point. 

Last season was dreadful. Saggese posted a .641 OPS in 295 ABs and only hit two home runs. That simply won’t cut it. There’s clear potential when it comes to the skillset that the young utility player puts forth. In the minors, he negated the strikeouts, slugged enough, and played all over the field. Sound familiar (Brendan Donovan)? It’s yet to be seen if he can piece the puzzle together in The Show, and it doesn’t look to be in the cards for him to do so in The Lou. Saggese, we may have to bid you adieu.

St. Louis has had a promising camp so far. Pitching prospects ascending, young hitters displaying signs of maturity, and the thrill of possibility that comes with a new season. Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. If another move is to come, it’s for the best.