The trade deadline move that backfired on Cardinals and will affect 2026 offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals operated as expected at the 2025 trade deadline, unloading their cache of rental relievers for prospects while keeping the big fish in tow in order to let Chaim Bloom sort things out once he took over for John Mozeliak.

However, the most shocking decision they made was a trade they ultimately didn't make. Southpaw reliever JoJo Romero, in the midst of a career-defining campaign, wasn't traded by July 31, leaving him as the de facto closer after the bullpen purge.

Now just one year out from free agency -- which will coincide with the dreaded CBA lockout -- Romero remains an obvious trade candidate for a rebuilding club, but have the Cardinals missed their chance to capitalize on his value?

JoJo Romero remains top Cardinals trade chip, though free agency fears could lower return

At the time of the trade deadline, Romero was a constant part of the rumors cycle, and for good reason. In 40 appearances for the Cardinals prior to July 31, Romero had a 2.12 ERA and 2.89 FIP while striking out 24.1% of opposing hitters.

He was on an all-time heater if you limited the sample size, as he had given up just one earned run from May 1 to July 30. For all intents and purposes, the expectation was that the Cardinals would trade Romero for a haul.

So much for that idea. St. Louis apparently really valued that extra year of team control in 2026 and didn't move the 29-year-old reliever, instead holding onto him through the second half of the season.

The crazy part? It sort of worked out for the Cardinals, as Romero was even better in the second half than he was in the first half.

JoJo Romero 2025 Stats
1st Half: 2.45 ERA, .225/.325/.324, 3.44 FIP, 21.0% strikeout rate, 1.30 WHIP
2nd Half: 1.71 ERA, .209/.298/.252, 3.14 FIP, 22.1% strikeout rate, 1.20 WHIP

Those are the marks of a truly elite reliever, and Romero even locked down eight saves, doubling his career total from before 2025.

The issue is that, by not trading him at the deadline, the Cardinals have now surrendered a half-year of team control (and an entire postseason) on Romero's contract. That matters a lot for relievers, especially ones who will turn 30 in 11 months' time and will need an expensive new contract before they hit free agency.

There's sure to be a market for a lefty reliever who held left-handed hitters to a .211/.287/.244 batting line in 2025. Just expect the Cardinals to have to settle for a below-market deal as Romero eyes a lucrative contract extension.