Joseph Romero: Everything you need to know

Joseph Romero

#59 RP

Status

ACTIVE

STATS

Preseason
Date	Opp	Result	IP	K	BB	HBP	CG	SHO	H	R	ER
3/18	HOU	W 4-1	1.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3/15	WSH	W 6-3	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
3/13	HOU	W 5-4	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
3/8	MIA	2-2	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3/1	PIT	L 6-1	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
2/26	HOU	W 9-4	1.0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
2/23	MIA	W 5-4	1.0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1
Preseason Totals			7	7	2	1	0	0	4	2	2

Regular Season
Date	Opp	Result	IP	K	BB	HBP	CG	SHO	H	R	ER
4/19	HOU	W 7-5	0.2	0	1	0	0	0	2	3	3
4/15	CLE	W 5-3	1.1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4/14	CLE	L 5-2	1.1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0
4/6	WSH	3-3	0.1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
4/5	DET	W 5-3	1.2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
4/1	NYM	W 2-1	1.1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3/28	TB	W 6-5	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3/26	TB	W 9-7	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
Regular Season Totals			6	4	4	0	0	0	5	3	3

Splits	GS	IP	W	L	ERA	K	BB	HBP	CG	H	R	ER	SVO	S	AVG	HR
Overall	0	12.0	0	0	0.0	6	4	1	0	9	3	3	0	0	0.209	1
Home	0	7.2	0	0	0.0	5	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.154	0
Away	0	4.1	0	0	0.0	1	3	0	0	5	3	3	0	0	0.294	1
Day	0	5.0	0	0	0.0	3	1	0	0	4	3	3	0	0	0.211	1
Night	0	7.0	0	0	0.0	3	3	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0.208	0
vs Righty	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	2	1	1	0	6	2	0	0	0	0.231	0
vs Lefty	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	4	3	0	0	3	1	0	0	0	0.176	1
March	0	2.2	0	0	0.0	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.200	0
April	0	9.1	0	0	0.0	4	4	0	0	7	3	3	0	0	0.212	1
Opponent
vs WSH	0	1.0	0	0	0.0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.500	0
vs DET	0	1.2	0	0	0.0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	0
vs HOU	0	1.2	0	0	0.0	0	1	0	0	3	3	3	0	0	0.375	1
vs NYM	0	2.1	0	0	0.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	0
vs TB	0	1.2	0	0	0.0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.286	0
vs CLE	0	2.2	0	0	0.0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.125	0
vs BOS	0	1.0	0	0	0.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.250	0
Venue
@ Houston	0	1.2	0	0	0.0	0	1	0	0	3	3	3	0	0	0.375	1
@ Detroit	0	1.2	0	0	0.0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	0
@ Washington	0	1.0	0	0	0.0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.500	0
@ St. Louis	0	7.2	0	0	0.0	5	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.154	0

Joseph Romero: Breaking News

Romero struck out one in a perfect inning to record his first hold of the season in Saturday's extra-inning victory over Tampa Bay. The left-handed Romero was summoned in the eighth inning with a two-run lead and two lefty bats due up, but he wound up facing three righties after the Rays used a pair of pinch hitters. He needed 17 pitches to dispose of the Rays in order. Ryne Stanek has been used for both save chances for the Cardinals but has blown one opportunity and allowed six runners to reach base. Romero will continue to be used in high-leverage situations and get some save chances when the opposition has left-handed hitters due up, though the latter type of outings could be few and far between.

Romero is expected to be among the relievers in the mix to close games for the Cardinals this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Manager Oliver Marmol appears willing to let the team's closer situation "solve itself" rather than naming a go-to ninth-inning man before the season. Romero shared the closer job with Riley O'Brien down the stretch last season after Ryan Helsley was traded, and he finished with a 2.07 ERA and 55:29 K:BB over 61 innings. Goold writes of Romero that the Cardinals "still could trade the lefty for the right return," but the chances of a trade are significantly lower now than they were earlier in the offseason. In addition to Romero and O'Brien, Matt Svanson and Ryne Stanek are expected to receive consideration for closing duties.

The Cardinals and Romero avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.26 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. It was the final year of arbitration eligibility for Romero, who is slated to hit the free-agent market next winter. The lefty reliever held a 2.07 ERA and 55:29 K:BB over 61 innings in 2025, picking up eight saves. Romero could be in the mix for saves again if he's still with the Cardinals on Opening Day, but a trade to a contender -- where he'd likely fill in a middle-relief role -- is likelier.