Cardinals Insider Links $81 Million Closer To Shocking Trade Buzz

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to be one of the more interesting teams to follow in the league at the trade deadline this season. There's a chance they sell at the trade deadline in order to continue their rebuild despite being in the middle of a postseason race.

If they are to sell, it would likely only be expiring contracts like Ryan Helsley. Helsley is projected to sign for six years and $81 million in the offseason, per Spotrac.

MLB.com's John Denton recently added fuel to the Helsley trade rumors by suggesting the Cardinals would use him as a trade chip this season.

"The Cardinals explored the trade market for their two-time All-Star closer early last winter, but they pulled him off the market after the Yankees traded for Williams and the Phillies signed free-agent reliever Jordan Romano," Denton wrote. "They aren’t likely to do so again at the Trade Deadline with Helsley about to hit free agency for the first time in his career this winter.

"Helsley, who is still holding out hopes of signing a long-term extension with the Cards, hasn’t worked nearly as much this season as 2024, when he set the club record with 49 saves, and that’s affected his sharpness. Thus far, Helsley is 3-0 with a 3.52 ERA, and he’s converted 13 of 17 save opportunities."

Trading Helsley makes a lot of sense for the Cardinals. He would be the best piece they could throw on the trade block this season which means he would net them quite a bit in return.

The Cardinals are unlikely to be able to re-sign him in the offseason with teams like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers expected to pursue him. With that in mind, it would make plenty of sense to see Helsley thrown on the trade market this year.