The New York Yankees are pursing a trade that they should probably reconsider.
The New York Yankees definitely needed to add some bullpen help after losing Devin Williams and Mark Leiter Jr. in free agency, and Luke Weaver is also still up for grabs.
Relief pitching was a prominent issue for the Yankees for much of 2025, so it would definitely be wise for them to retool the bullpen this winter.
Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has revealed that New York has zeroed in on a potential target in that regard and is discussing a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals for left-hander JoJo Romero.
On the surface, Romero looks like a good potential pickup. After all, he logged a 2.07 ERA while allowing just 47 hits and two home runs over 61 innings of work this past season, and his ERA has improved each year since entering the league in 2020.
But when you look under the hood, you'll see problems.
Romero managed a paltry 1.90 K/BB ratio in 2025, totaling 55 strikeouts while issuing 29 walks. His control was a major issue, just like it was earlier in his career with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 29-year-old spent two-and-a-half seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to the Cardinals midway through 2022. He actually got off to a solid start with St. Louis during his first full season in 2023, averaging 10.3 punchouts per nine innings and posting a 4.20 K/BB ratio.
Since then, Romero's strikeout numbers have plummeted, and while his location was fine in 2024, it obviously resurfaced as a problem this past year.
Romero has just one year of club control remaining, so the cost to acquire him should not be steep. But if the Yankees are looking to add him and make him a critical part of their bullpen, they may want to think twice.
That being said, there really aren't many relief options available for New York at the moment. The Yanks reportedly talked to the Milwaukee Brewers about Trevor Megill, who could potentially be included in a Freddy Peralta package. But otherwise, the market is pretty barren.
If New York can pick up Romero on the cheap, then it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, but the Yankees better have another relief addition in mind, as well.