The Cardinals’ bullpen was a problem all season long in 2026, and the numbers back it up. St. Louis finished with a 4.40 bullpen ERA, the fifth-worst mark in the National League, so adding help in relief has to be part of the conversation as the club looks ahead to 2027.
There isn’t a loaded reliever market waiting for them, but there are a couple of names that fit what the Cardinals need. If St. Louis wants to take a step forward next year, targeting higher-leverage arms makes plenty of sense.
One option is JoJo Romero. He was dealt to the eventual National League champion Milwaukee Brewers with Dustin May, and both pitchers will become free agents once the World Series ends. Romero is expected to seek a multi-year deal, but that does not automatically take him off the Cardinals’ board.
A return to St. Louis would not clash with the rebuilding plan.
Instead, it would give the Cardinals a left-handed late-inning arm they can lean on for the next few seasons, while also adding a different look in the final innings. Busch Stadium also fits pitchers well, which could help make a reunion more appealing.
Paul Sewald is another name that lines up with St. Louis’ needs.
He brings closing experience, and that matters for a Cardinals bullpen that could use someone capable of handling the ninth inning when called upon. That would ease some of the burden on Riley O'Brien, who appeared to run out of steam late in the regular season.
Sewald, 37, also figures to be relatively affordable. A one-year deal could make sense for both sides, and if the Cardinals end up outside the race, he could even become a deadline trade chip.
A pair of reliable high-leverage relievers would go a long way for St. Louis. Romero would add another trusted arm from the left side, while Sewald could help bridge games to the finish and keep O'Brien fresher across the season.
In Other News...
Reid Detmers Could Spark A Cardinals Trade Debate Fans Hate
After finishing the 2026 season with 77 wins, the Cardinals have made it clear the priority is still development, not a quick fix. That puts any chatter about adding a veteran starter like Reid Detmers in a tricky spot, because while he would bring immediate value to a rotation in need of help, the club is still trying to build around its young core and replenish the farm system at the same time.
Detmers 2026 season was strong enough to make him an appealing name in trade conversations, but the broader track record is part of the hesitation. He has shown inconsistency in earlier years, which makes him the kind of pitcher who can tempt a front office without fully justifying the kind of prospect haul it would take to land him. For a Cardinals team trying to balance patience with urgency, that is exactly the sort of debate fans do not love revisiting. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals May Be Nearing A Tough Decision On One Young Bat
As the Cardinals head into an offseason where roster fits matter as much as raw talent, the conversation around possible trade pieces has started to sharpen around a few young bats. Crooks has put together a strong run in the minors, but his major league track record is still limited, while Pages has carved out a niche more as a defensive backup than an everyday answer. Both are at least plausible names to monitor if St. Louis decides to shuffle around the edges of the roster.
The more intriguing case is Gorman, whose upside has always been obvious but whose offensive production has been too uneven to ignore. For a Cardinals team trying to balance patience with the need for clearer results, he looks like the player most likely to draw real trade interest. Whether the front office actually pulls the trigger may come down to how much it believes a change of scenery is needed, and how willing it is to part with a young bat who still carries plenty of upside. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Flaherty Reunion Could Give Cardinals Options They May Soon Need
Jack Flahertys path back to St. Louis would make for one of those offseason moves that fits neatly with what the Cardinals have been trying to balance: present-day rotation help without boxing themselves into a long-term commitment. The right-hander, who was recently traded by the club, has shown enough swing-and-miss ability in recent seasons to keep interest alive, even with the kind of uneven performance that makes any real commitment a little tricky.
A short-term reunion would give the Cardinals another arm to work with and more flexibility if they need to reshuffle the staff later on. It also would mirror the kind of low-risk pitching addition St. Louis has explored before, with Dustin May serving as a useful comparison for the sort of upside-and-uncertainty profile that can appeal to a club trying to stay competitive while keeping options open. [Read more 🡒]