Last year, Ryan Helsley established himself as arguably the top closer in baseball, tallying 49 saves, finishing ninth in NL Cy Young voting, and posting a career-best 2.9 WAR. However, in 2025, he’s already surpassed his blown save total from the previous season, and his WHIP has climbed from 1.101 to 1.542.
Despite the dip in performance, that hasn’t deterred interest from other clubs. With Helsley set to become a free agent at the end of the season, teams like the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly in the mix. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, both clubs are “in a race to see which team can bolster its bullpen the best.” While Bowden didn’t directly link Helsley to either team, he noted that the Cardinals are prepared to “jump” on the right trade offer.
Cardinals Should Let the Bidding Heat Up
Helsley may not be as sharp this year, but he still throws triple digits and remains a powerful bullpen option for any contender. There’s no reason for the Cardinals to rush a deal. If multiple teams are interested — and indications suggest they are — St. Louis needs to maximize the return.
Even during a down season, Helsley has the ability to be a game-changer in the postseason. That said, his trade value isn’t what it was during the offseason, putting the Cardinals in a more complicated position now.
St. Louis Could Still Be Sellers Despite Solid Start
As of June 12, the Cardinals sit just 2.5 games back from the final NL Wild Card spot and five games behind the NL Central leader. They’ve struggled recently, dropping 8 of their last 12, and June hasn’t been kind. Still, this club has exceeded expectations and remains competitive in the playoff race.
The Cardinals find themselves in an awkward spot — outperforming expectations but still likely not strong enough to seriously contend in the NL. That puts them in a tricky position with Ryan Helsley: trading him could bring back a package of prospects, but since his trade value has dipped this season, they probably wouldn’t land elite talent in return. That raises the question of whether it’s even worth dealing him or if they should just hang on and hope for a late playoff surge.
What might a Phillies trade for Helsley look like?
Philadelphia has four prospects ranked in MLB’s Top 100: pitcher Andrew Painter, shortstop Aidan Miller, outfielder Justin Crawford, and catcher Eduardo Tait. It’s safe to assume Painter and Miller are off-limits. Helsley could be a key bullpen addition, but given his current form and potential rental status, it’s hard to justify moving a top-tier prospect.
However, Crawford or Tait might be in play. A Top 100-caliber prospect like one of them could match the kind of offer former GM Jim Bowden recently described as appropriate. The Phillies are reportedly very high on Tait, especially given his power potential, though he’s still several years away from the majors. If the Cardinals are leaning toward a more long-term rebuild, Tait could be a name worth pursuing in Helsley talks.