The Cardinals can still bring back some solid prospects for their closer.
The St. Louis Cardinals are an interesting team as the trade deadline approaches. While they are close in the National League Wild Card race, they haven't picked a lane just yet.
They can buy, sell, hold, or potentially mix buying and selling together. Regardless of what they're thinking, they have plenty of pieces that teams will show interest in.
Their biggest trade chip is All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. He can bring back a solid return of prospects if dealt.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicts that St. Louis will trade him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"The Cardinals, at 51-46, are only 1 ½ games behind the third wild-card spot, so a full-on sell-off at the trade deadline won't happen. Helsley will be a free agent after the season though, and losing him for nothing but a draft pick (if St. Louis even makes him the qualifying offer) would be tough to swallow," Axisa wrote.
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St. Louis will be an interesting team in the next few weeks. Trading away Helsley would be a wise course of action.
The veteran right-hander is the reigning NL Reliever of the Year after he saved a franchise record 49 games in 2024. This year, he is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA and has recorded 19 saves in 33 appearances.
The Cardinals are thin on top prospects at the moment, especially on the pitching side, which made the selection of Liam Doyle in this year's draft noteworthy.
Despite where they currently stand, it's clear that the Cardinals don't have the roster necessary to compete for a World Series title. And so, selling Helsley for future assets would finally put their much needed rebuild in motion.
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Category: Baseball
