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That moment on that mound he’d imagined often as a California kid.

“Immediately coming back here, I’m flooded with emotions of growing up,� Romero said. “As kids, we’re in the backyard and we’re simulating it — bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, full count and stuff like that and being able to close a game at Dodger Stadium. It brought back a lot of nostalgia.�

The past was on his mind.

The future was at his fingertips.

The Cardinals have thrown open their closer role after trading All-Star Ryan Helsley last week — and there’s no surefire, leading candidate in place to take over the ninth for 2026.

A sudden veteran of the bullpen, Romero, who had a cameo at closer back in 2023 after the Cardinals’ previous sell-off, handled both of the club’s save opportunities since the trade deadline. He’s cinched each win. Romero completed the Cardinals’ 3-2 victory Monday night by navigating the top of the Dodgers lineup, which is studded with three consecutive former MVPs. Romero got help from a sliding catch along the right field line by Lars Nootbaar.

Romero will need another assist if he’s going to run with the closer role for the remainder of the season.

He is the only lefty in the Cardinals bullpen, and it will be impossible for the Cardinals to reserve Romero for closing the ninth inning until adding another lefty for earlier innings. The turn of LA’s lineup was fortuitous for the Cardinals on Monday as it brought left-handed hitters Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.

“That’s when a lefty closer feels good,� manager Oliver Marmol said.

The Cardinals retook the lead on Yohel Pozo’s pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the ninth. Pozo’s two-out flip toward right field saved an inning that opened with consecutive singles, and it improved his pinch-hit performance to 6 for 12 with seven RBIs.

The 3-2 lead Romero inherited for the bottom of the ninth was the Cardinals’ third of the game. Sonny Gray pitched seven strong innings and struck out eight before handing the ball to the bullpen with a lead created from solo homers by Masyn Winn and Ivan Herrera.

The Dodgers countered each time the Cardinals had a lead — with a solo homer by Freeman off Gray and an RBI ground out in the eighth for the 2-2 tie.

The only lead the Cardinals held was the one that mattered, and with Helsley in Queens and Phil Maton in Texas, it was the lead they handed to Romero.

He kept the ball as a souvenir of his first save back near home.

“There’s definitely going to be a lot of opportunity,� the lefty said. “I think that means a lot of opportunity for not just me but a lot of the guys here. We can do a lot of great things at the back end of the game. Everyone here has really good stuff. I think we’re going to see some matchups.�

A native of nearby Camarillo, California, Romero was one of the relievers who drew interest from other teams at the trade deadline. The Cardinals were not eager to deal him, sources described, even as he approaches their final year of control.

In his first 42 appearances of this season, Romero had a 2.21 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings. He collected a save this past weekend in the Cardinals’ lone win at San Diego, and with the save Monday, he’s already one away from tying his career high for a season. That came in 2023, when he got several late-summer looks in the ninth as the Cardinals sank deeper into a losing season.

“I think in ’23 it was forced on him in the situation and hoping there is growth,� Marmol said. “And he gained a lot of confidence from that experience. Now being able to call on him again, he knows that he can do it.�

Added Romero: “I would say it just feels differently going in there and it being my job that day, at least.�

One of the major differences, Romero detailed, was how he has absorbed so much more insight from his former teammates. Romero said he studied and watched how Helsley prepared for the ninth inning — and how the right-hander responded after rocky outings.

Romero sat beside veteran setup man Maton for most of the season, and the two of them would talk through pitch choices happening in the game. Romero would say what he’d throw in the same spot as the pitcher on the field, and Maton would respond by talking through why it was or was not the choice he’d make.

The fruit of those conversations appeared in Monday’s ninth.

Three-time MVP, Wednesday’s starting pitcher and only member of MLB’s 50-50 club Ohtani led off, and Romero had an approach ready for him.

“With Shohei, I think it’s the way everyone else approaches him,� Romero said. “Hope he doesn’t hit it 500 feet.�

Whatever plan Romero had went poof immediately.

Ohtani jumped the first pitch for a single.

Mookie Betts flared a ball to right field that Nootbaar sprinted more than 120 feet before making a diving catch and sliding into foul territory. Romero then spun Freeman for a strikeout. All four pitches Romero showed the reigning World Series MVP were strikes, and the lefty eventually got Freeman reaching after a slider and tipping it into Pozo’s mitt.

Then came a situation that Romero and Maton workshopped.

“I would pick his brain on all of this,� Romero said.

With the potential tying run still at first and left-handed batter Max Muncy on deck, Romero had to choose how to pitch right-handed cleanup hitter Will Smith. The better matchup was the left-on-left against Muncy. The risk was putting the winning run on base. Romero attempted to lure Smith into swinging, but the All-Star catcher accepted a walk. Romero welcomed the matchup with Muncy and got a well-struck liner right at Nootbaar.

“Take your shot there to end the game,� Marmol said. “I like the way he approached all of it. ... Any time you can tap into that base of ‘I’ve already done it,’ you have confidence of being able to repeat it. It’s not new to him regardless of environment.�

A week ago, the Cardinals placed John King on the injured list and traded Steven Matz to Boston to go from three lefties in the bullpen to Romero, alone. On Monday, the Cardinals claimed lefty reliever Anthony Veneziano off waivers from the Marlins. They optioned him to Class AAA Memphis, but he also immediately emerges as a candidate to be the second lefty.

The Cardinals intend to get Riley O’Brien, Kyle Leahy and perhaps Gordon Graceffo some opportunities to save games if they can forge leads — and that’s in part because Romero will be needed earlier in the game. If Ohtani or Freeman appeared in the eighth Monday, Romero would have met them, and one of the right-handers would be tasked with closing.

With the departures of three relievers, one part of Romero’s role hasn’t changed and that’s because the bullpen phone has the same ring regardless of inning.

“Be ready when your name is called,� he said.