The St. Louis Cardinals are going to be an interesting team in the coming weeks. They outperformed their expectations in the first half, going 51-46.
Now, the second half is upon us, and they are only 1 1/2 games back of the final National League Wild Card spot. They have some tough decisions to make regarding the trade deadline.
They have several pieces on expiring contracts that teams will be interested in. One in particular is reigning NL Reliever of the Year Ryan Helsley.
Dayn Perry of CBS Sports predicts St. Louis will sell at the trade deadline, and that they will at least listen to offers on Helsley.
“The Cardinals are surprise contenders in the NL, at least in the wild-card race, but they’ll still likely look to offload some veteran contributors before the deadline as part of the ongoing transition to a younger and (and less costly) roster,” Perry wrote.
“Look for them to seek out takers on the likes of Ryan Helsley, Erick Fedde, Steven Matz, and possibly Phil Maton.”
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Helsley set a franchise record with 49 saves last year and earned his second All-Star nod. He posted a 2.04 ERA.
The 30-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 33 appearances and has recorded 19 saves with St. Louis this year. They held onto him in the offseason, hoping to balance contention and runway for younger players.
While his value his likely decreased slightly, he still can bring back a solid haul of prospects for a team that needs to restock its farm system. If 2024 was any indication, teams will overpay for rental pitchers, especially ones with track records similar to Helsley’s.
The Cardinals in all likelihood wouldn’t last long if they were to reach the postseason. Their current roster can’t compete with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
They would be wise to look for takers on Helsley.
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