The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a position nobody expected them to be in. Instead of being out of contention, they came into Friday's action tied with the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres for the third NL Wild Card spot. They have vastly outperformed their expectations, and as such, their strategy at the trade deadline is unclear.
They could buy, sell, hold, or mix buying with selling if they want to balance competing with giving runway to some of their younger players down the stretch. There are many options at their disposal.
Unfortunately, they don't seem to want to trade closer Ryan Helsley. Katie Woo of The Athletic noted that they appear inclined to keep him instead. How they play in July will ultimately determine if he stays or goes.
However, regardless of their strategy, trading Helsley is the correct move, and the Cardinals must capitalize on his value while they still can.
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Cardinals should trade Ryan Helsley regardless of deadline strategy
The Cardinals surprisingly held onto Helsley last offseason, hoping to balance winning with runway for younger players. However, it proved to be yet another sad case of them being unable to decide between the two approaches.
The Cardinals struggle to commit one way or the other, and it has landed them in the dreaded middle over the past several years. But trading Helsley makes sense because his value is still high. While it may have gone down slightly from where it was in the offseason after a 49-save campaign in 2024, he is still the reigning NL Reliever of the Year.
Other contending teams will be willing to overpay for an elite ninth-inning arm such as Helsley. The Cardinals could potentially restock their farm system with some elite pitching prospects. Beyond Michael McGreevy, there aren't many healthy arms ready and available.
If they keep Helsley, they will likely not re-sign him for 2026 and beyond, meaning that all they can get for him after 2025 is a compensation draft pick as a result of the qualifying offer. The Cardinals may want to contend, and some fans may be okay with the team holding onto Helsley, but they ultimately have to prioritize the future.
Even if they remain in the race, this is not a team capable of winning a World Series title in 2025. The stage needs to be set for new President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom to make the necessary changes and not have to deal with John Mozeliak's recent baggage.