Reds suddenly have a new trade target after Sonny Gray deal reshaped Cardinals' plans

The St. Louis Cardinals have long been viewed as the gold standard of the NL Central, but on Tuesday officially entered rebuild-mode after trading Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. Gray waived his no-trade clause — something he refused to do last offseason — and renegotiated the final year of his contract to help facilitate the move.

But trading Gray could be the first of several offseason moves that new Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is looking to execute as he attempts to shed unwanted salary, rebuild St. Louis' farm system, and quickly get the franchise back on top in the NL Central.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds should take advantage of the Cardinals' teardown and inquire about one of their talented arms who's now become available. According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, JoJo Romero is drawing trade interest, and one has to wonder if the Reds are one of the teams who's checked in.

Trading Sonny Gray opened the door for the Reds to inquire about Cardinals reliever JoJo Romero

Among the many things Cincinnati needs to address this offseason is the lack of left-handed options in their bullpen. The Reds retained lefty Sam Moll just last week, but after a sub-par showing in 2025, there's no way he can be considered a top option for the team next season. Romero, on the other hand, represents a known commodity.

Romero began his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, and joined the Cardinals in 2022. Since that time, he's become a reliable arm for St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol. Since 2023, the southpaw has made 157 appearances out of the Cardinals bullpen, racked up 12 saves, and posted a 2.93 ERA, 3.40 FIP, and 145 ERA+. Romero has kept lefties in check throughout his career to the tune of a .529 OPS-against.

Romero is in the final year of his arbitration window, and is estimated by MLB Trade Rumors to garner a little less than $4.5 million next season — a figure that would fit nicely into Cincinnati's budget for the 2026 season. There are other lefties available in free agency, but the price tag is likely to be same.

It's unknown what Bloom and the Cardinals' brass would be seeking in return, but if the Reds are unwilling to dip into the free agent market, an intra-division trade with St. Louis might be the easiest way to fill one of the biggest holes on their roster.