There have been many conflicting reports about what the St. Louis Cardinals could do at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. However, there's a reason to believe that if the Cardinals could move on from some of their top players who are either set to hit free agency at the end of the season or are making a good amount of money, they’d do exactly that.
Among the names that come to mind includes Ryan Helsley, their lockdown closer, who many believe is one of the best in Major League Baseball.
When recently predicting where the top trade targets would end up, Sportsnaut predicted the Cardinals would trade Helsley to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t necessarily need to make a move at the MLB trade deadline, not with all the talent they’ll have coming off the injured list in August. However, it’s always wise to fortify the bullpen. The St. Louis Cardinals will likely be receptive to moving Ryan Helsley in a contract year, especially since re-signing him is unlikely. The 30-year-old (19 saves and 3.27 ERA) would provide Dodgers manager Dave Roberts with another late-inning option and would allow for Los Angeles to use its bullpen even more in October,” they wrote.
As they noted, the Dodgers are arguably the most talented team in baseball.
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While that's undeniable, it's also important to know the many injuries Los Angeles has faced.
Because of the Dodgers' injuries, it wouldn't be surprising to see Andrew Friedman go all out once again at the deadline.
If he can get Helsley for a decent package, although the Cardinals likely shouldn't trade him unless they get everything they want, don't be surprised if Friedman kicks the tires on another big deal with the Cardinals.