The St. Louis Cardinals have turned a corner after a rough start to the season, and one MLB writer suggests they could turn their closer into a piece to take them over the top.
The Cardinals currently sit four games behind the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central, and they are only one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final NL Wild Card spot. As part of an MLB.com piece on one “intriguing trade chip” for each team, John Denton made the case for Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley.
Denton wrote, “The Cardinals explored the trade market for their two-time All-Star closer early last winter, but they pulled him off the market after the Yankees traded for Williams and the Phillies signed free-agent reliever Jordan Romano. They aren’t likely to do so again at the Trade Deadline with Helsley about to hit free agency for the first time in his career this winter. Helsley, who is still holding out hopes of signing a long-term extension with the Cards, hasn’t worked nearly as much this season as 2024, when he set the club record with 49 saves, and that’s affected his sharpness.
"Thus far, Helsley is 3-0 with a 3.52 ERA, and he’s converted 13 of 17 save opportunities. However, his strikeout rate has fallen (29.7% to 25.2%) and his walk rate has climbed (8.6% to 11.7%). Could the Cardinals potentially package Helsley and veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to a contender in a megadeal at the Trade Deadline?”
As Denton suggests, the Cardinals could move Helsley on their own or even package him with another stud like Arenado to add a real difference-maker or two.
While it may seem counterintuitive for a contender to move their top closer, Phil Maton (12 Holds, 2 Saves, 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and Steven Matz (3 Holds, 1 Save, 2.41 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) have proven their effectiveness and could grow into worthy replacements.