$8.2 Million All-Star Closer Is One Of Cardinals' Top Trade Assets

The St. Louis Cardinals are quickly falling out of postseason contention. They may only be 2 1/2 games back in the National League Wild Card race, but they are now 8 1/2 games back in the NL Central and sit in fourth place.

The team is trending towards selling this year at the trade deadline as opposed to buying. They have several trade chips that teams will be very interested in.

Their farm system is depleted, and it's time for them to prioritize the future rather than 2025. Josh Jacobs of FanSided listed several trade chips for St. Louis, and among the top chips was All-Star closer Ryan Helsley.

"At worst, Helsley is still a valuable reliever teams would want, but the production this year has not matched up with the name value or track record. Even so, I'm guessing there are teams out there that believe if they can get their hands on Helsley, they can get him back to himself. And if that's true, then yes, he's definitely a super valuable trade chip at this deadline," Jacobs wrote.

Helsley set a franchise record with 49 saves last season and was named the NL Reliever of the Year. St. Louis chose to hold onto him in the offseason, squandering a chance to capitalize on his value while it was at an all-time high.

Now, his value is slightly lower, though he is still putting together a strong 2025 season.

The two-time All-Star owns a 3.27 ERA in 33 appearances and has recorded 19 saves.