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Player Outlook
JoJo Romero was unable to win a spot in the Cardinals' bullpen to open the 2023 season, but managed to rapidly ascend the team's late-inning hierarchy upon his recall in early July. The 27-year-old even earned some looks as St. Louis' closer, logging three saves in 27 appearances before left knee tendinitis ended his season in September. While Romero primarily throws a mid-90's sinker to induce ground balls at a near-60 percent clip, he keeps hitters off-balance with an 86 mph changeup (45.3 percent whiff). Not to mention, the southpaw's 53.2 percent whiff rate on his slider was one of the highest in the league for that pitch type. This helped him produce above-average strikeout (28.6%) and walk (6.8%) rates, even if the sample was only 36.2 innings. Romero showed enough last year to continue to fill a high-leverage role for the Cardinals in 2024, but health has been an issue for him throughout his career.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
ip
Innings Pitched
w
Wins
l
Losses
sv
Saves
so
Strikeouts
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
era
Earned Run Average
whip
Walks and Hits Allowed Per Inning
2024 0.00 0.00
2023 1154.3 36.7 4 2 3 42 10 3.68 1.06
2022 25.51.5 16.3 17 10 4.96 1.41
3y Avg. 452.5 20.7 1 1 1 22 8 4.36 1.26
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Roster
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Fantasy News

  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Control issues popping up

    Romero has allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out three over three Grapefruit League innings. Romero is a candidate to be a key southpaw in the Cardinals' bullpen this season, but he'll need to navigate the control issues popping up in spring games. He had three saves, three holds and two blown saves while pitching to a career-best 3.68 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 36.2 innings last year. Romero's chances for saves are slim -- he's at best fourth in the pecking order -- but he could be a solid late-innings guy if he can get the walk rate back in order.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Agrees to terms

    Romero agreed to a one-year contact with the Cardinals on Thursday, avoiding arbitration. The 27-year-old southpaw is coming off his best big-league season, in which he registered a 3.68 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. Romero should work as the Cardinals' top lefty reliever in 2024.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Knee still bothersome

    Romero (knee) is still dealing with weakness and instability in his left knee but will throw a bullpen session Sunday, John Denton of MLB.com reports. Romero hit the injured list with left patellar tendinitis in early September. The fact that he's ready to throw a bullpen session suggests he has plenty of time to return before the end of the year, though the Cardinals have no incentive to rush him given that they've long since fallen out of the playoff picture.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Placed on IL with knee tendinitis

    Romero was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with left knee patellar tendinitis. Romero has been serving as the Cardinals' primary closer since late July, though St. Louis hasn't provided a ton of save opportunities for him. Giovanny Gallegos collected a save Sunday and could see more while Romero is out, with Ryan Helsley also in the mix after recently returning from the 60-day IL.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Falters in 10th inning

    Romero (4-2) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk while striking out two over 1.2 innings to take the loss Friday versus the Pirates. Romero pitched around trouble in the ninth inning, but he wasn't so fortunate in the 10th. The Pirates were able to put up a three-run rally again him, and the Cardinals couldn't pull even in their half of the frame. With Ryan Helsley (forearm) back in action, it was a terrible time for Romero to have a poor outing. The lefty compiled a 2.51 ERA, 20:1 K:BB and 0.84 WHIP over 14.1 innings in August while part of a closer committee for the last-place Cardinals. He has a 3.68 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 42:10 K:BB through 36.2 innings while adding three saves, three holds and two blown saves. Despite the poor outing, Romero should continue to fill a high-leverage role for manager Oliver Marmol.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Collects fourth win

    Romero (4-1) earned the extra-inning win Tuesday over the Padres, allowing two hits while striking out three and walking none over two scoreless innings. Romero kept the game tied at 5-5 in the ninth and 10th innings before Tommy Edman's walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th. In August, Romero has gone more than one inning in six of his 10 appearances, allowing four runs over 14.1 frames with a 20:1 K:BB. He's earned a high-leverage role as the Cardinals' top left-handed reliever. Romero has a 3.34 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 40:9 K:BB, three saves and three holds over 35 innings this season.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Awarded win Monday

    Romero (3-1) struck out two without giving up a hit or a walk over 1.1 scoreless innings to earn the win Monday over the Athletics. Romero's usage would typically lead to a save, but the official scorer deemed Giovanny Gallegos' outing brief and ineffective. This allowed Romero to pick up the win instead after the only baserunner he allowed reached on an error. Over six appearances spanning 7.1 innings this month, Romero has given up three runs, seven hits and one walk while striking out 12. He's rapidly ascending the Cardinals' bullpen hierarchy, earning some late-inning looks as the team's top southpaw reliever. He has a 3.72 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 32:9 K:BB through 29 innings while picking up two saves and three holds this year.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Nabs second save

    Romero picked up the save in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Royals. He allowed one run on three hits over 1.2 innings. Romero took over in the eighth after Giovanny Gallegos allowed three hits and a run while only recording one out. Romero managed to get the Cardinals out of the jam in that frame and held on for the save despite allowing three hits and a run in the ninth. Though closing duties are up for grabs with Ryan Helsley (forearm) shelved, Romero owns a 4.05 ERA in 15 appearances since Helsley was shifted to the 60-day IL and has recently split ninth-inning work with Gallegos, who's been much more effective lately.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Picks up save against Cubs

    Romero locked down his first save of the season Sunday against the Cubs after pitching a scoreless ninth while allowing one hit and striking out two. On the day the Cardinals traded current closer Jordan Hicks to the Blue Jays, Romero picks up the save. Giovanny Gallegos got the eighth inning and Romero shut the door on the Cubs' eight-game winning streak. Romero had been a little shaky as of late, giving up four runs in his last two appearances, but has been reliable as a whole since getting recalled July 4. over that span, he's accumulated two wins, two holds and a save while posting a 4.15 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB in 13 innings. It appears Romero could be the Cardinals' closer, or at least split the role with Gallegos, until Ryan Helsley (forearm) is able to return.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Takes loss Tuesday

    Romero (2-1) allowed two runs on two hits over one inning to take the loss Tuesday versus the Diamondbacks. Romero was perfect in the seventh inning, but manager Oliver Marmol left him in to begin the eighth. That ended up being a costly mistake, as Romero surrendered two hits and Chris Stratton would go on to give up a tiebreaking two-run triple. Romero has given up a pair of runs in each of his last two appearances, bringing his recent 7.1-inning scoreless streak to a screeching halt. The southpaw is at 4.12 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 18:8 K:BB through 19.2 innings, but he likely remains the Cardinals' top lefty reliever over Andrew Suarez.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Picks up second win

    Romero (2-0) struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the extra-inning win over the Marlins on Tuesday. Romero's clean nine-pitch inning set the stage for Nolan Arenado's walk-off blast in the bottom of the 10th. This was Romero's second win in his last four appearances -- in that span, he's allowed a hit and two walks over six innings while adding nine strikeouts. The 26-year-old is trending up in the Cardinals' bullpen, especially after Genesis Cabrera was designated for assignment Monday. The left-handed Romero figures to have a chance for any late-inning matchup-based assignments over the other southpaw in the bullpen, Zack Thompson, who is better suited to multi-inning outings.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Recalled from Triple-A

    Romero was recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Memphis. Romero is joining the Cardinals' bullpen in place of Andre Pallante, who has been optioned to Memphis in a corresponding move. Romero 26, worked to a 3.77 ERA and 16:9 K:BB in 14.1 innings of relief with St. Louis last year.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Sent to Triple-A

    The Cardinals optioned Romero to Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday. Romero was dropped from the 28-man active roster to clear room in the bullpen for Jordan Hicks (neck), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list in advance of Wednesday's regular-season finale in Pittsburgh. The demotion will make Romero ineligible to be included on the Cardinals' roster for the team's upcoming wild-card series with the Phillies.
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  • Cardinals' JoJo Romero: Shaky to end campaign

    Romero has allowed at least one run in four of his last eight appearances. Romero was called up to the Cardinals on Aug. 19 and logged six scoreless innings in his first five appearances with the team. Since then, he's given up six runs across 6.1 innings in his last eight outings. The 26-year-old southpaw has a 5.65 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB through 14.1 innings between the Cardinals and the Phillies this year, working exclusively as a low-leverage option.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Reinstated from 60-day IL

    Romero (elbow) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Friday. Romero spent the start of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in May of 2021, but he began a rehab assignment in mid-June and posted a 1.54 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 11.2 innings over 11 appearances in the minors. The southpaw earned seven holds over 23 appearances during his first two seasons in the majors, and it's possible that he'll work his way into some setup duties during the second half of the 2022 season.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Rehab transferred to Single-A

    Romero (elbow) had his rehab assignment transferred to Single-A Clearwater on Friday. Romero's first rehab appearance came with the Phillies' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, and he struck out the side in a perfect inning. The southpaw will take another step in his recovery process by joining the Single-A club.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Begins rehab assignment

    Romero (elbow) began a rehab assignment with the Phillies' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Romero is ready for game action as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent in May of last year. He'll presumably need a lengthy rehab assignment before he's activated off the injured list. He's far from guaranteed to head to the active roster once cleared, as he's thrown just 19.2 career major-league innings, struggling to a 7.32 ERA.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Moves to 60-day injured list

    Romero (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Saturday. Romero couldn't be on the injured list over the offseason, but he was always going to return to it as soon as possible, as he's out for the early part of the season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He'll be ineligible to return before early June, though he could be out longer than that given he underwent the procedure in mid-May of last year. He could return to the big-league bullpen in the second half.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Set for Tommy John surgery

    Romero was transferred to the 60-day injured list Tuesday and will undergo Tommy John surgery, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Romero struggled to a 7.00 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in nine innings of work before hitting the injured list in early May with what was originally referred to as a left elbow sprain. As it turns out, the injury is a very serious one, and he'll now miss not only the remainder of the season but likely the majority of next year as well.
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  • Phillies' JoJo Romero: Sent to minors

    The Phillies optioned Romero to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Though Romero made his big-league debut in 2020 as a reliever, the Phillies may not be ready to pull the plug on developing the 24-year-old as a starter. Since there wasn't going to be a spot available for him in the Phillies' Opening Day rotation, Romero will instead move to Triple-A in order to pick up regular innings. The Phillies could still keep him near the top of the list for a promotion if the team needs a mop-up man or another lefty option out of the bullpen.
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