Subscribe
Follow Us
After a disappointing season in which they missed the postseason for the second-straight year, the St. Louis Cardinals are looking to shake things up. Third baseman Nolan Arenado and closer Ryan Helsley have been two of the most popular names in the trade market this offseason.
The Cardinals and their president of baseball operations John Mozeliak have made their stance on if they are considering trading Helsley clear to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
“As the St. Louis Cardinals reset, closer Ryan Helsley appears perhaps their most obvious trade candidate,” Rosenthal wrote. “But teams talking to the Cardinals are under the impression the team will hold Helsley, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak does not dispute that point.”
“It’s something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have him be part of our organization,” Mozeliak said to Rosenthal on Thursday.”
Helsley has one more year of team control before he enters free agency. While they could still strike a deal with a contender for Helsley at the deadline, it seems like the Cardinals plan to keep him around. If they view Helsley as a part of their future, the next step could be offering him a contract extension.
Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are all teams that would have potentially been in the market for a closer like Helsley.
Even if the Cardinals decide to keep Helsley, the should still be able to get a significant return from Arenado, who does appear to still be available.
Ryan Helsley's 2024 season with the St. Louis Cardinals
Helsley had an incredible season in 2024, asserting himself as one of baseball's top closers. In 64 appearances, Helsey had a 2.04 ERA, recorded a Major League-leading 49 saves in 53 opportunites and struck out 79 batters.
Helsley was also named an All-Star, finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting and won the Trevor Hoffman award for being the best closer in the NL.
It is clear that the 30-year-old Helsley would be an asset to any contending team. Mozeliak did not completely shut the door on potentially trading him. But, if the Cardinals do not view themselves as contenders for the next few seasons, it would not make sense to keep Helsley.
