The Cardinals’ bullpen problems are front and center again, and the search for help may end with a name fans already know well.
St. Louis missed the postseason for the fourth straight year in 2026, and the relief corps was a major reason why.
The bullpen finished with a 4.40 ERA, which ranked fifth-worst in the National League. With the lockout approaching, that area is expected to be the club’s biggest offseason priority.
What the Cardinals need is pretty specific: a right-handed reliever who can handle late innings and, if necessary, step into the closing role when Riley O'Brien needs a day off. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the search could point the Cardinals toward a familiar option they are already interested in.
"If an agent had a free-agent right-handed reliever, there was a good chance the Cardinals (and more than a dozen other teams) had a meeting with them," Goold wrote. "The Cardinals are looking for a veteran right-hander with late-game experience to bring some stability to the back end of the bullpen. This is the fourth consecutive year that they’re looking to fill the role previously held by Andrew Kittredge, Phil Maton, and, most recently Ryne Stanek.
"One potential fit being discussed by the Cardinals is a familiar one: Kittredge."
Kittredge is no stranger to St. Louis. He spent the 2024 season with the Cardinals after coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays, a move that had Bloom’s fingerprints on it even though John Mozeliak was still running baseball operations at the time.
Bloom had drafted and developed Kittredge during his time with the Rays, and the right-hander delivered for St. Louis in 2024 with a 2.80 ERA. He then pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in 2026, putting up a 3.54 ERA while collecting 11 saves.
That kind of track record gives the Cardinals a clear reason to consider him. He has closing experience, he could complement O'Brien, and when healthy he has been one of the more durable bullpen arms in the majors. A reunion would also bring back a pitcher who already worked in a strong Cardinals bullpen in 2024 alongside Ryan Helsley.
The clock is ticking with the lockout near, but this is also the kind of move that should not require the Cardinals to empty the wallet. That leaves the door open for a deal if they can get one done in the coming weeks.
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Now the bigger question is whether the Cardinals try to get ahead of things with a long-term extension. Burleson is already in a position of importance, and there is growing speculation that St. Louis could look to lock him in before the market gets any more complicated. The framework being discussed around the league suggests the club may be willing to make a meaningful commitment, which would say plenty about how aggressively it wants to build around him. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Reunion Buzz Raises A Bigger Bullpen Question
The Cardinals are still looking for ways to shore up a bullpen that needs help, and one familiar name has surfaced in the mix. Reports say St. Louis has shown interest in bringing back left-handed reliever JoJo Romero, who was a steady presence for the club during his previous run in the organization from 2022 to 2026. With payroll limitations hanging over the front office, the reunion chatter fits the kind of practical, lower-cost bullpen shopping the team may have to do.
Romero is not the only lefty on the radar, either, which makes this more than just a nostalgia play. St. Louis has been linked to other left-handed relievers as it weighs its options, and the bigger question is how aggressive the Cardinals can really be while trying to improve the relief corps without pushing past their financial comfort zone. If they do circle back to a familiar arm, it could say as much about the market as it does about their trust in what they already know. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Tough Nolan Gorman Decision At Third Base
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With third base still unsettled for 2027, the Cardinals are now sorting through a decision that could shape both the roster and the timeline for Jess Bez. Gorman could still remain part of the picture in a platoon setup, but the front office may also look outside the organization for a short-term fix while Bez continues to develop, which keeps this one from being a simple keep-or-move-on call. [Read more 🡒]