The St. Louis Cardinals have an open mind toward the trade market this winter as they scheme for ways to kick off a rebuild by slashing payroll.
Heading into this offseason, several prominent names at the top of the trade list are no longer available, such as ace Sonny Gray and three-time All-Star Willson Contreras — they invoked their no-trade clauses.
However, a gifted hurler entering his final year of arbitration could be made available, as a pair of contenders were recently listed as having interest in the Cardinals reliever.
“Ryan Helsley — the club’s MVP in 2024 with his franchise-record 49 saves — could be dealt,” MLB.com’s John Denton wrote Thursday. “The (Arizona) Diamondbacks and (Toronto) Blue Jays have strong interest in Helsley, per sources.”
Helsley has been linked to the Blue Jays as a top landing spot. With Toronto’s future in jeopardy and the offseason waning, landing the Cardinals flamethrower could soon become a top priority.
As for the Diamondbacks, they just landed this offseason’s most-prized starting pitcher after signing Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal and would love to snag Helsley, one of the league’s most prolific closers.
The 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year’s projected market value is roughly $80 million over a six-year deal, according to Spotrac. However, Helsley is amid his final year of arbitration, so the Diamondbacks wouldn’t have to commit to a long-term deal as such just yet.
The two-time All-Star should garner a solid trade return for the Cardinals if they decide to trade him this offseason. Still, there’s a growing chance Helsley will remain with St. Louis, at least to start 2025.
