The St. Louis Cardinals have won just five of their last 14 games, dropping their record to 55-53 on the season. They've still exceeded some people's expectations, and are only 3.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot, but the odds of them making the postseason, let alone going on a deep run, are incredibly slim. This has led the Cardinals to strongly consider selling at the trade deadline.
No, this probably doesn't mean that the Cardinals will move Brendan Donovan or other controllable players, barring an overwhelmingly strong return, but it does mean that veterans on expiring contracts like Ryan Helsley, will be available for the taking.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand listed six teams that have shown interest in acquiring Helsley. All six of these teams would certainly benefit from a reliever of Helsley's caliber, but not all six of these teams need him equally. Some feel more likely to make a push to acquire him than others. Here's how I'd rank those six teams in order of the likelihood that they trade for Helsley.
Ryan Helsley is one of the most popular trade targets with no less than a half-dozen teams interested to varying degrees. Among the suitors, per sources, are the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers and Blue Jays.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 29, 2025
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6. New York Yankees
What's ironic about the New York Yankees' placement on this list is that they might need a reliever the most of any team in the majors, The bullpen is undoubtedly this team's biggest Achilles heel right now. With that being said, is Helsley really the right fit for this team?
The reason why the Cardinals are willing to make him available is that he's on an expiring contract. The Yankees shouldn't be against adding a rental, but it's important to note that Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Tim Hill, their three best healthy relievers right now, are all on expiring contracts. Do the Yankees really want to add another rental to the equation, especially one who will be extremely costly like Helsley?
The Yankees should be looking to add bullpen help, but if they're willing to pay the price for a high-end option, it should be one who'd come with additional club control, like Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax or David Bednar, to name a few. Helsley would be a good addition, but given his contract status, it's hard to envision the Yankees going down this path.
5. New York Mets
The New York Mets, much like their crosstown rivals, could also use some bullpen help. They could really use a high-end set-up man, and Helsley certainly fits the bill in that regard. With that being said, while Helsley the pitcher fits, his contract situation makes it tricky for the Mets.
Edwin Diaz, their lockdown closer, has an opt-out in his contract that he can, and presumably will, exercise, opening the door to him testing free agency. The Mets could look to bring him back even as a free agent — they've done that once before already — but the contract he's going to receive will almost certainly be out of David Stearns' comfort zone.
Rather than acquire a high-end rental, if the Mets are willing to add a high-end reliever, it feels more likely that they'd spend a bit more to get one who'd come with at least one additional year of club control, giving them their dominant set-up man for this season, and a safety net for 2026 if Diaz departs.
4. Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of MLB's best stories this season. At 63-44, the Jays have not only built a fairly commanding lead in the AL East, but they have the best record in the American League. This Jays team is extremely deep, and has been a joy to watch. Their bullpen has been an underdiscussed strength, but injuries to Yimi Garcia, Ryan Burr and Nick Sandlin all suffered in July should have Ross Atkins considering adding to the unit.
Jeff Hoffman has been mostly solid as the team's closer, and guys like Brendon Little, Yariel Rodriguez and Braydon Fisher have broken out this season, but the injuries have worsened the depth a bit. Garcia and Sandlin are expected to be back at some point this season, but Burr is not.
Adding a guy like Helsley to pair with what they have can make the Jays truly tough to beat late in games. I think adding a power bat and a starting pitcher are more pressing needs, which is why they're only fourth on this list, but the Jays can't go wrong by adding a high-end arm like Helsley. If the price is right, they should, and probably will, be all over it.
3. Texas Rangers
Even after Monday's loss, the Texas Rangers have won eight of their first ten games since the All-Star break, potentially saving their season in the process. Texas was under .500 at the break, but now, the team has a 56-51 record, placing them just 4.0 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West, and 0.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot.
The Rangers have been an inconsistent team all season long, but there's no disputing that they're in a position to buy at the deadline. If they're willing to buy, why not do so heavily and add the high-end closer this bullpen really needs.
Not to dismiss the job guys like Robert Garcia, Hoby Milner, Chris Martin and Shawn Armstrong have done this season — they've been excellent — but are any of those guys ones Rangers fans should trust Bruce Bochy to hand the ball to in the ninth inning of a postseason game? Martin, the most experienced by the bunch, being hurt, only emphasizes the need for a high-end bullpen arm.
There are questions about the consistency of their offense and the durability of their starting rotation, but when this team is right, it's one of the best in the AL. Adding Helsley makes them darkhorse World Series contenders if things break their way.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies should be MLB's most desperate team when it comes to adding bullpen depth. They needed a high-end arm even before Jose Alvarado's 80-game PED suspension, but Alvarado's suspension (which will keep him out of action in the postseason) has emphasized the need for the Phillies to add a lockdown closer. Helsley might only be a rental, but the Phillies should be all-in right now, and few available arms are better.
Right now, Rob Thomson's late-game circle of trust includes Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and, well, that's about it. The Jordan Romano experiment has not worked out at all, and the rest of the bullpen is made of guys who should only really appear in low-leverage situations.
The Phillies have a decent amount of star power in their lineup and have arguably the best rotation in the game, but their bullpen needs a lot of work if they want to win the World Series. It was a huge reason they didn't go far in last year's postseason, and it's only worse now than it was then. Dave Dombrowski must go big in the 'pen, and Helsley is just about as good as it gets.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
As much as MLB fans don't want to hear it, when the Los Angeles Dodgers want a player, it's hard to envision a world in which they don't get said player. Not only do they have a willingness to spend whatever it takes to win, but they have one of the best farm systems in the game, giving them the ability to acquire just about anyone available and not break a sweat.
It looked as if the Dodgers had built a super-bullpen this offseason when they signed Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, but the opposite has been the case. Injuries have piled up, and both Scott and Yates have drastically underperformed.
One of the few needs this Dodgers team has is in the bullpen. They've been linked to just about every high-end reliever, and Helsley is clearly no exception. We've seen the Dodgers trade with the Cardinals before, and they're in World Series or bust mode. Adding Helsley might make the Dodgers clear-cut favorites to repeat as World Series champions, if they aren't already in that position. If the Dodgers don't acquire Helsley, it'll be because they've acquired a different star closer. Until that happens, it's hard not to picture Helsley in Dodger Blue.