Before their first game of the second half tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the St. Louis Cardinals placed lefty reliever JoJo Romero on the injured list with appendicitis. In corresponding moves, St. Louis selected the contract of right-handed arm Scott Blewett and designated catcher Yohel Pozo for assignment to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. The roster move has several implications, including an attack on the Cardinals’ available bullpen depth and a shift in their potential deadline moves.
Cardinals Place JoJo Romero on Injured List with Appendicitis
What it Means for the Cards
Over the last few years, although St. Louis’ pitching staff is far from being one of the best in baseball, they have done an exceptional job keeping their arms healthy. Romero heading to the injured list marks just the third pitcher injury on the 40-man since Spring Training, not including Hunter Dobbins, who was recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered before getting traded by the Boston Red Sox.
Still, Romero’s ailment doesn’t have anything to do with his arm or lower body but with inflammation in his appendix. Recovery time for appendicitis varies, so whether Romero needs surgery and how well he recovers will determine if he’ll be out for a week or two, or closer to a month or more. St. Louis backdated his injured list placement to July 14, so the earliest he could return is next Friday.
We have selected the contract of RHP Scott Blewett. He will wear #66.
LHP JoJo Romero has been placed on the 15-Day IL (appendicitis), retroactive to July 14. pic.twitter.com/7NytRC2Usa
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 17, 2026
The southpaw has been a valuable backend reliever for St. Louis virtually since he was acquired from Philadelphia for Edmundo Sosa in 2022. In 2026, Romero has pitched to the tune of a 3.35 ERA, which is solid but a regression from his impressive 2.07 mark last season. The biggest difference is that Romero’s been getting hit much harder, but he has improved his strikeout and walk numbers while keeping the ball on the ground more often than not.
His absence leaves manager Oliver Marmol with just one lefty in the bullpen – Justin Bruihl. The 29-year-old has gotten better as the year has progressed after a slow start, now sporting a 3.66 ERA. Over Bruihl’s last 17 appearances that date back to May 25, he has a 1.88 ERA in 24 innings. With his improved performance and no Romero for the time being, Bruihl will undoubtedly earn more high-leverage opportunities as St. Louis’ sole left-handed reliever.
Impact on the Trade Deadline
Romero will be a free agent this offseason, making him a prime candidate to be traded at the deadline if the Cardinals were to sell. However, with this news, he might not even be healthy by the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which could affect how eager other teams are to acquire Romero. This isn’t the first time in recent memory that the Cardinals have traded an injured player, shipping off Tommy Edman to the Los Angeles Dodgers while he was on a rehab stint in 2024.
An experienced, serviceable, backend lefty reliever like Romero is always coveted this time of year, and even as a rental, he could net St. Louis a nice return. Obviously, Romero’s not being available impacts the Cardinals’ ability to close down games over the next few weeks, potentially making them more inclined to trade him if the team’s record slips during his absence.
Other relievers on the team, such as first-time All-Star Riley O’Brien and Ryne Stanek, are also bullpen arms to watch if the Cardinals do decide to sell at the trade deadline.
Scott Blewett Will Make Cardinals Debut, Yohel Pozo Designated for Assignment
As far as the other moves go, Blewett will slide into Romero’s slot in the bullpen after pitching for the Memphis Redbirds for most of the year. The 6-6, 245-pounder has a 5.13 ERA with the organization’s Triple-A affiliate, but he has punched out 63 batters in 48.2 frames and walked just 19 men. Blewett will likely take on a long man role to start, and the 30-year-old will make his first appearance as a Cardinal when he is called out of the ‘pen.
The Pozo move feels like a long time coming for the Cardinals. St. Louis already has a litany of young catchers in its system, including two on the 40-man roster in Jimmy Crooks and Leo Bernal. There isn’t much room for a journeyman like Pozo, who was sent down to Memphis at the end of May, despite his exciting moments with the Cardinals over the last year and a half. He can also sign back to the organization if there is mutual interest.
Main Photo Credit: Tim Vizer-USA TODAY Sports
