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Cardinals Commit to Trading Star Closer Helsley Ahead of Deadline
29 Jul
Summary
- Cardinals are "devoted" to trading two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley
- Helsley's strikeout rate is down, home run percentage is up, and ERA has climbed this season
- Multiple contending teams, including the Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Mariners, Dodgers, Phillies, and Blue Jays, are interested in acquiring Helsley
In a surprising move, the St. Louis Cardinals have committed to trading their two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley before the upcoming trade deadline. The decision comes as the Cardinals have struggled to keep pace with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, losing six of their last 10 games and falling nine games back from the Brewers.
Despite the Cardinals' reluctance to make Helsley available in the past, multiple executives have now confirmed that the team is "devoted" to moving the hard-throwing right-hander. Helsley's performance this season has been a concern, with his strikeout rate down, home run percentage up, and ERA climbing to 3.00. One evaluator noted that Helsley "is not having the lights-out season we've seen from him before."
Several playoff contending teams, including the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Toronto Blue Jays, have shown interest in acquiring Helsley. However, the offers for the 31-year-old may not be as robust as the Cardinals had hoped.
With the Cardinals sitting nine games back in the division and just three-and-a-half games out of the third NL Wild Card spot, the team appears to be shifting its focus to the future. Helsley, along with other expiring contracts, is expected to be on the move by the trade deadline as the Cardinals look to retool for the coming seasons.
