The Philadelphia Phillies came into this season with bullpen concerns following the free agency losses of Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman. José Alvarado was one of the few reliable options at Rob Thomson's disposal, but the lefty was recently hit with an 80-game suspension following a failed drug test.
The other part of this suspension that's often overlooked is the fact that Alvarado is suspended for the postseason, too. The Phillies will almost certainly make the postseason and their closer is going to be a crucial piece of the puzzle in October.
If it wasn't obvious before, it's obvious now that the Phillies need to go after a closer at the trade deadline. And if they're going after a closer, why not chase the best name on the market, St. Louis Cardinals righty Ryan Helsley?
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A trade for Ryan Helsley would save the Phillies' bullpen
A trade for Helsley would be expensive, but it would be worth it. The Phillies opted to send a few key prospects to the Los Angeles Angels for a few months of Estévez last season, so it's hard to imagine they'll hesitate on bringing in Helsley.
So, what would it take to land the two-time All-Star?
Chace, 21, has flown up prospect rankings over the last year. The right-hander is one of the top pitching prospects in the Phillies' organization. He dominates hitters with a few different pitches including a fastball, cutter and slider, all of which are above-average offerings. The 21-year-old has slowly gotten better and has seemingly excelled since being moved into a full-time starting role.
Nori, 20, is one of the younger prospects in the Phillies' system. He's a contact-first hitter with an elite speed tool and an above-average glove in center field. The versatile outfielder has struggled at the plate in his professional career, but he's still young.
Saltiban, 20, is similar to Nori in a few ways. The Cardinals would be betting on him to put the pieces together rather than his production to this point. The athletic infielder has good power and good speed, though his average has dipped this season.
For the Cardinals, they might need another top-30 prospect to make this deal doable. But Helsley is likely leaving after the season either way, so trading him for three top-10 prospects makes sense.
The Phillies need to bring in a closer and Helsley is the best option. Philadelphia even has the money available to re-sign him at the end of the season.