The Cardinals announced that they have selected the right-hander’s contract Scott Blewett. He takes the active list position of the left hand JoJo Romeroplaced on the 15-day injured list with appendicitis, resumes until July 14. Hunter Yohel Pozo he was selected for the opening assignment of the 40-man place for Blewett.
Romero, 29, has been in trade rumors for some time. The Cards have been on the rebound in recent years as he approaches free agency, set to hit the open market after this season. Although the Cards sent various other players in the recent offseason, it seems that they never got an offer to their liking for Romero, so he stayed in St.
That makes him a trade candidate this summer, although that’s probably complicated now with this IL placement, which will last until very close to the deadline even if it’s for a short time. Injured players can still be traded but obviously it can affect a player’s position if he misses time. The Cards don’t even have clear sellers anymore, as they’re just a game back in a playoff spot at this point, so it’s hard to say how motivated they are to move Romero.
He’s having a decent season overall. He has already logged 43 innings for the St. Louis Cardinals. Louis bullpen with a 3.35 earned run average. His 23.1% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate are both close to average and his 48.3% ground ball rate is well above par. That has generally been his career profile, as he now has 235 2/3 innings under his belt with a 3.51 ERA, a 22.9% strikeout rate, an 8.9% walk rate and a 52.7% slugging percentage.
It was bitter for the Cards to lose him as they have lost him now Justin Bruehl as their only southpaw on the big league roster. Bruihl is having a decent campaign, with a 3.55 ERA in 46 2/3 innings, but he’s a soft hitter with a low-90s fastball and a 15.2% strikeout rate this year.
Meanwhile, they will add another right to Blewett. He signed a minor league contract with the club in the offseason. Earlier this week it was reported that he created an opt-out clause in that deal. His results in Triple-A don’t jump right off the page, as he posted a 5.18 ERA in 48 2/3 innings. However, a massive .425 batting average on balls in play was responsible for that. His 28.4% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 44.4% ground ball rate were all average or better numbers.
It appears that the combination of his exit clause and Romero’s appendicitis will earn Blewett another shot at the major league. He already has 72 2/3 innings under his belt with a 4.21 ERA, a 19.3% strikeout rate, a 10.1% walk rate and a 45.9% ground ball. If things don’t work out at this point, Blewett has run out of options.
The pitch shift will result in Pozo losing his roster spot. The backstop has been a depth option for the Cards for over a year now. Listed in April 2025. He did not receive a tender at the end of that season but was re-signed in November. He’s considered a solid outfielder but hit just .233/.259/.358 in 201 plate appearances for the Cards. He’s generally hit better in Triple-A but is down this year, with a .229/.256/.386 line at that level.
St. Louis has great offensive depth. They are currently broadcasting a three player setup in the main division. Ivan Herrera he splits his time between the catcher and designated hitter slots. When DHing, Jimmy Crooks and/or Pedro Pagés wear pads. They have it Leo Bernal on voluntary assignment to Triple-A and then Rainiel Rodriguezone of the best catching prospects in the league, at Double-A.
Given that image, Pozo was very serviceable, but he might have an advantage on another team. As mentioned, he is a strong defender. He didn’t hit much in the majors but hit .321/.343/.545 in Triple-A from 2021 to 2025. He hasn’t hit much this year but it’s a decent profile and he’s full of options. Clubs in need of holding depth will be interested. DFA limbo can last for up to a week. The withdrawal process takes 48 hours, so Cards can take as long as five days to make a trade profit in the field.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images
