The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a fascinating spot right now. They’re hanging around in contention despite most folks writing them off before the season started.
Nobody expected much from this Cardinals team in 2025. The consensus was they’d be sellers come July, shipping off veterans for prospects and looking ahead to next year.
That’s still possible. But they could just as easily be buyers if things keep trending this way.
John Denton of MLB.com recently highlighted All-Star closer Ryan Helsley as their most valuable trade asset heading into deadline season. It’s a reminder that even contending teams sometimes face tough decisions about pending free agents.
“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’s coming off a monster 2024 season. He saved 49 games, setting a Cardinals franchise record and earning NL Reliever of the Year honors in the process.
This year’s been a bit different. The 30-year-old right-hander is 3-0 with a 3.52 ERA and 13 saves in 23 appearances. Not quite the lockdown numbers from last season, but still solid production from the back end of their bullpen.
Here’s the thing about Helsley’s situation: he’s probably gone after this year anyway.
Closers hitting free agency for the first time at 30 don’t usually stick around for hometown discounts. That’s where the Cardinals’ decision gets interesting. Do they hold onto him for a potential playoff push, or cash in now while his value is still strong?
Trading Helsley wouldn’t necessarily mean waving the white flag on 2025. Other areas of their roster have performed well enough to suggest they could weather losing their closer. Plus, getting a haul of prospects back might be better than watching him walk for nothing but a qualifying offer pick.
It’s one of those decisions that’ll define how the front office views this season. Are they buyers who think this team can make noise in October? Or sellers who see a chance to restock the farm system before a key player leaves anyway?
We’ll find out soon enough which direction St. Louis decides to go.
