Cardinals Predicted to Trade Former All-Star Against His Wishes

Cardinals Predicted to Trade Former All-Star Against His Wishes originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Helsley is pitching in his seventh MLB season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 30-year-old closer made his big-league debut in 2019 and, in 24 appearances, posted a 2.95 ERA while going 2–0.

After two shaky seasons following his rookie breakout, Helsley had an incredible year in 2022, making his first All-Star team, finishing 12th in Cy Young Award voting, earning the closer role and pitching to a miniscule 1.25 ERA.

In 2024, Helsley made his second All-Star team for St. Louis, finished ninth in Cy Young Award voting and led the league with 49 saves.

This year, Helsley has made it clear he wants to sign an extension with the Cardinals, but given his expected value, that may not be the case.

“Helsley, the longest-tenured Cardinal since 2015, would like to stay and sign a contract extension, but he has the most value because of his two-time All-Star pedigree,” wrote MLB’s John Denton.

The Cardinals are currently 51–46 and 1.5 games out of the third wild-card spot. This season has been a surprise, especially after an offseason spent shedding salary—letting veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt depart in free agency and exploring trade possibilities for superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado.

In 33 appearances this year, Helsley has 19 saves and a 3.27 ERA. If the Cardinals elect to move on from Helsley, it would not be because he wants to leave but because they don’t believe the current roster can make a postseason run.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.