The St. Louis Cardinals' biggest weakness in 2026 was their bullpen. They posted a 4.40 bullpen ERA this season, which was the fifth worst in the National League. So, they're going to need to look at the relievers market to boost that area of the roster.
Perhaps it's time for them to look into higher leverage relievers as they try to take the next step forward in 2027. The market isn't great to be fair, but it's not like there aren't some options there that could help them out and put the team back on the map next year. Here are two pitchers that make sense for St. Louis.
JoJo Romero
JoJo Romero was traded to the eventual National League champion Milwaukee Brewers along with Dustin May. Both pitchers are free agents once the World Series reaches its conclusion. Romero will probably be looking for a multi-year deal.
But even though the Cardinals are rebuilding, bringing back Romero wouldn't derail those plans. It would simply replenish their bullpen with the high-leverage left-hander they need for the next few years and give them a different look towards the end of games.
Romero would likely be willing to return to St. Louis, even though they are rebuilding. Busch Stadium is a pitcher-friendly environment, and it plays well for pitchers like Romero, so a return to St. Louis cannot be ruled out.
Paul Sewald
Paul Sewald would make sense because he is somebody with closing experience, and that is something that St. Louis would benefit from. This would take the pressure off of Riley O'Brien, who seemed to be out of gas by the end of the regular season.
But in the event that O'Brien is ever unavailable, having somebody who can come in and close games out would make a major difference for St. Louis. The 37-year-old probably wouldn't be an overly expensive arm, so just a one-year deal could make sense, and then he could potentially even be a trade chip at the deadline if the Cardinals are out of contention.
A few high-leverage bullpen pieces could make a real difference, and Sewald could be the perfect guy to bridge the gap to the end of games if O'Brien ever needs a day.
This will allow the Cardinals to keep O'Brien fresh and up to speed for other games, but also have somebody who can be trusted to finish things off in the ninth inning.
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