Less than a week before the trade deadline, the St. Louis Cardinals haven’t officially waved the white flag and begun selling off assets. Veteran closer Ryan Helsley isn’t sure what the Cardinals are waiting for.
St. Louis entered Friday at 53-51, nine games out of first place in the NL Central. Although the Cardinals are only 2.5 games back in the Wild Card race, all signs nonetheless point to a fire sale in the coming days.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star and pending free agent, made it clear that he wants to stay with the Cardinals. However, he also knows that the front office may feel differently and trade him for whatever they can get back, via Katie Woo and Will Sammons of The Athletic ($).
“From a front office perspective, I think they saw what they wanted to see,” Helsley said. “Do you sell, where this is a two or three-year rebuild? Or do you just solely take this as a rebuild year?
Helsley owns a 3.09 ERA and 20 saves for the fourth-place Cardinals. Although Helsley has struck out 39 hitters in 35 innings, he’s also walked 14 and allowed four homers.
“I would say it’s 90 percent I go, 10 percent I stay,” Helsley admitted.
Which teams could trade for Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley?
Barring anything unexpected, Helsley and Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase should be the top relievers available this deadline. Both are proven veterans with playoff experience, though Helsley’s 5.63 ERA is inflated by a four-run outing in the 2022 Wild Card Series.
Ryan Helsley's 2Ks in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zilsCxybu6
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 25, 2025
So, which teams could trade for Helsley ahead of the deadline? We’ll never rule the Los Angeles Dodgers out, especially not given the apparent hex on their pitching staff. Helsley’s durability should instantly appeal to a Dodgers team seeking a third championship in six years.
Could the Yankees try making a play for Helsley? Probably not, seeing as their focus should be on hitters, given their prolonged offensive inconsistencies. Elsewhere in the AL East, a late-inning combo of Helsley and Aroldis Chapman sounds intimidating, but we’re not sure the Red Sox would pursue such a move.
What about the Seattle Mariners? They’re in a position to be aggressive, and Helsley could become All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz’s new setup man.
Either way, Helsley appears accepting of his potential fate. We’ll see just where he’s pitching on August 1, and if he can parlay a strong second half into a significant free agent contract.
“The likelihood is probably as great as it’s ever been for me to get traded,” Helsley admitted, and we don’t disagree.