The Milwaukee Brewers put together the best roster in baseball in 2026, but it will not look exactly the same by the time the 2027 season rolls around. In fact, the Brewers have already lost a handful of pieces to the open market and it's unclear if any will return.

Jake Bauers and Brandon Woodruff are the Brewers' two big-name free agents right now. It would arguably be a shock if Woodruff doesn't return. Bauers, on the other hand, could go either way. The Brewers tendered him the qualifying offer, but there's a real chance that he turns it down and pursues a multi-year deal. One free agent who hasn't been talked about much, but Milwaukee should also try to bring back to town is lefty reliever JoJo Romero.

Romero was acquired by the Brewers ahead of the 2026 trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals and he was a key cog down the stretch and in the postseason. Romero is among the most underrated free agents of the winter and isn't expected to break the bank. Spotrac has his projected market value set at just over $24 million across four seasons. That projection should have the attention of the Brewers' front office right now.

The Brewers Should Bring Back JoJo Romero

Now, of course, it's important to note that four years seems like a long deal for a 30-year-old reliever. Relievers are volatile, but Romero is worth pursuing with a multi-year deal, preferably shorter than the four years. The annual value just north of $6 million is very fair. If the Brewers could have him on a deal closer to $18 million over three years, that would be better. But, either way, Romero is worth bringing back.

As a member of the Brewers, Romero had a 3.38 ERA in 11 regular season appearances down the stretch. Then, he had a 1.13 ERA in the playoffs across seven appearances. Right now, the two left-handed locks in Milwaukee's bullpen are Aaron Ashby and DL Hall. When it comes to Ashby, he has said that he hopes to be a starter at some point. If the Brewers were to oblige, that would certainly hurt the Brewers' bullpen. Even if the Brewers don't move him to the rotation, a third dependable lefty would be nice and Romero has already proved he can be that guy.

The Brewers targeted him ahead of the trade deadline for a reason. Romero has a 3.52 ERA in 252 big league games in seven seasons. In 2025, he had a 2.07 ERA in 65 outings. In 2024, he had a 3.36 ERA in 65 appearances. Romero is legit, but he hasn't gotten much buzz this offseason so far. Still, that doesn't mean Milwaukee shouldn't bring him back. Spotrac's market projection is very fair, at least from an annual value standpoint, and the Brewers should strike with it.