To rebuild a franchise, you first have to strip it down, and Chaim Bloom has wasted no time doing exactly that in his first offseason running the St. Louis Cardinals. From the moment he took over, Bloom made it clear that his priority was shedding bloated contracts and converting aging, expensive veterans into long-term assets. That teardown is now largely finished. After dealing Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox earlier in the winter, Bloom capped things off by shipping Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks this week. With a massive chunk of payroll now cleared, St. Louis can finally begin shaping its next competitive core.
Well, almost. While Gray, Contreras, and Arenado were the headline moves, a handful of veteran Cardinals remain who could still be moved for future value. If Bloom is able to capitalize on those assets, the Cardinals’ rebuild could accelerate faster than many expect.
2B/OF Brendan Donovan
Contract status: Team control through 2027
Possible fits: San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners
A Donovan trade feels inevitable rather than hypothetical. He was arguably St. Louis’ most productive position player last season, hitting .287/.353/.422 while providing reliable defense at multiple spots. That versatility and production would be attractive to virtually any contender — just not a Cardinals team that likely won’t be ready to win again before Donovan reaches free agency.
The real question is what Bloom can extract in return and which team steps up. Clubs like the Giants and Mariners could desperately use infield help, while teams such as the Yankees or Astros also make sense as dark-horse suitors. Donovan is clearly the Cardinals’ most valuable remaining trade chip, and misplaying this opportunity isn’t an option.
LHP JoJo Romero
Contract status: Team control through 2026
Possible fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox
Romero’s situation is similar. Rebuilding teams rarely benefit from holding onto relievers approaching free agency, and while St. Louis could wait until the trade deadline, that’s a gamble given how unpredictable bullpen arms can be. Romero is coming off the best season of his career, logging a 2.07 ERA across 61 innings in 2025, and he’s arguably the top left-handed reliever available this offseason.
The return likely won’t be overwhelming, but the Cardinals should still be able to land something useful for a pitcher who isn’t part of their long-term plans — especially since a few rough outings could crater his value entirely.
OF Lars Nootbaar
Contract status: Team control through 2027
Possible fits: New York Mets, New York Yankees, Houston Astros
This is a more speculative case. Nootbaar has been a popular breakout candidate for years thanks to his athleticism and underlying tools, but that leap still hasn’t happened. After posting a 95 OPS+ last season, the Cardinals would be selling at a relative low point. With two years of control left, holding onto him and betting on a rebound might be the safer play.
That said, waiting comes with its own risks. Two years of control carries far more trade value than one, and St. Louis could find itself with less leverage next offseason. Even without fully putting it together on the field, Nootbaar’s blend of plate discipline and contact quality is well known, and it wouldn’t be shocking if a team paid a premium to acquire him early.
INF Nolan Gorman
Contract status: Team control through 2028
Possible fits: Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies
It may finally be time for the Cardinals to move on from Nolan Gorman. Once a first-round pick and top organizational prospect, he showed flashes early in his career but has steadily declined, producing an 88 OPS+ over the past two seasons while struggling defensively across the infield.
Selling low on a homegrown player is never appealing, but Gorman is entering arbitration and hasn’t earned consistent playing time. The raw power is undeniable, and if he ever reins in the strikeouts, there’s still upside. At this stage, though, it may be best to let another rebuilding club take that gamble. For St. Louis, recouping anything is preferable to holding on and getting nothing at all.
