Cardinals already framed as trade deadline sellers by someone who would know

Before 2024 began, most experts and sportsbooks had the St. Louis Cardinals projected to finish near, if not at the top of the NL Central. A little over 30 games in and the Cardinals have found themselves in the basement of one of the worst divisions in all of baseball.

After 35 games, the Cardinals sit at 15-20 with one of the older pitching staffs in baseball. This disappointing start has led many to speculate that the Cardinals could look to sell at the trade deadline later this season.

Cardinals insider hints that reliever Ryan Helsley could be a trade piece at the trade deadline

St Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold first hinted at this, mentioning how the Cardinals could take a revamp approach, rather than a rebuild approach if they can't turn this season around in the next month or so.

This revamp would likely start with the trading of their All-Star closer, Ryan Helsley.

"Mentioned (Monday) on MLB Network that the Cardinals quietly have positioned their roster to be quick sellers if they wish to be, and one of the biggest moves they could make is dealing Ryan Helsley," Goold said, h/t Sports Illustrated. "It would be similar to what the Yankees did in 2016 to be sellers and get a quick reset without taking several steps back for a year or more. Of course, it's not like the Yankees have won a World Series since then.

"If the Cardinals want to pivot quickly away from this roster and into a new-look, even fast-forward rebuild they would look at all of the options. Dramatic changes would be considered, for sure, and I think it's not being talked about enough how they've set up the roster for that possibility."

Helsley has a fastball that averages nearly 100 MPH, according to Baseball Savant, and a slider that induces a whiff percentage of nearly 50 percent.

Any team looking to bolster the back end of their bullpen would be foolish to not pay the price for this dominant reliever. The fact of the matter will be whether the Cardinals will be willing to part ways with the 29 year old, reigning NL reliever of the month.

The answer is likely yes, given the fact that Helsley is in the last year of his contract and will be demanding a bigger pay day this offseason. St. Louis may not have a choice on whether they have Helsley in 2025 and beyond, so they may as well get some value out of him this season if they can't right the ship.