Cardinals, Chaim Bloom make wild in-division trade with the Milwaukee Brewers

The St. Louis Cardinals first transaction during the trade deadline bonanza was one that very few people would have expected. In a shocking move, the Cardinals traded pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero to in-division rival Milwaukee Brewers.

In return for May and Romreo, the Cardinals acquired two high-upside prospects in outfielders Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale from the Brewers.

May, who has a 5-7 record and a 4.38 ERA, agreed to a one-year deal with the Cardinals during the offseason with a mutual option for 2027. While May's ERA won't wow anyone, his 3.14 FIP and 8.8 K/9 ratio will impress people. He joins a rotation in Milwaukee that is led by flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, and May will likely be a top-three pitcher in the rotation following Brandon Woodruff's injury.

The Cardinals are also sending left-handed reliever JoJo Romero to the Brewers as a part of the deal. Romero, who is currently on the Injured List due to appendicitis, has a 3.35 ERA this year across 44 outings (43 innings pitched). Romero has been vital as a set-up man for the Cardinals since he was acquired via trade four years ago.

Chaim Bloom shocks Cardinals fans with a rare in-division trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, this is the first trade between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals in over a decade; the last transaction between the two was when the Brewers sent pitcher Jonathon Broxton to St. Louis for prospect Malik Collymore at the 2015 deadline.

In-division trades are rare, as neither team wants to be snake-bitten by its rival. However, the Brewers were in need of pitching, and the Cardinals are now able to take from one of the best farm systems in baseball.

Romero will be a nice complement to Aaron Ashby for the Brewers, and he'll be a viable option for manager Pat Murphy in the postseason. There isn't a timetable for Romero's return, but he should be back well before playoffs begin.

With this move, Chaim Bloom shows that the rebuild will continue. The Cardinals could still make a run at the playoffs like the Detroit Tigers did in 2024, but the focus is clearly on the future for Chaim Bloom.

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