Cardinals Insider Reveals Why St. Louis Didn't Trade Ryan Helsley

The St. Louis Cardinals were the most talked about team on the trade market this offseason.

Pretty much every single veteran on the roster was mentioned in trade talks at one point or another. With the team announcing that they were planning to "reset" the organization this past offseason, this obviously led to a lot of chatter.

Major changes didn't come, though. The most talked about guy on the team obviously was Nolan Arenado. He's an eight-time All-Star and was the biggest name on the trade block. His no-trade clause played a role and he's still in St. Louis.

Another guy who got some buzz is All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. He had a fantastic 2024 season and finished the year with a 2.04 ERA and a league-leading 49 saves. Helsley was the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year and it seemed like he was going to be traded. He's going to be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season and will cash in.

While this is the case, The Athletic's Katie Woo shared that part of the reason the Cardinals didn't move him is because John Mozeliak and the team are hoping to be competitive in 2025.

"At the end of the 2024 season, it seemed highly likely Helsley would be wearing a different uniform come 2025," Woo said. "In fact, Helsley himself expected to be traded. But Mozeliak did not want to wave the white flag completely. He did not feel a total rebuild was necessary (and out of fairness, it isn’t). He wanted to field a competitive club and felt Helsley was a pivotal part of that. Still, it’s fair to question why the Cardinals didn’t capitalize on Helsley’s immense value when they stated their plans to reset (the majority of the industry is indeed questioning this)...

"Could St. Louis still trade Helsley before the deadline if they are out of contention? Of course, but a decline in either health or performance would diminish some of his value. The Cardinals would also lose leverage, as players who are traded at the deadline are not eligible for a qualifying offer, which would lower Helsley’s projected value. You’re correct. Not trading Helsley is a big risk to take when it comes to maximizing a return. Evidently, the Cardinals felt keeping the club somewhat competitive was more important."