Cardinals May Already Have Ryan Helsley Replacement In St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of talent at their disposal in the bullpen right now.

Ryan Helsley clearly is the main guy. This is one of the top overall closers in baseball that we are talking about right here. Helsey won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award in 2024 after racking up 49 saves and a 2.04 ERA.

Helsley has a 3.54 ERA and 15 saves so far this season and has been one of the most talked about trade candidates out there. While this is the case, the Cardinals are thriving and are just behind the Chicago Cubs for the top spot in the National League Central. If they can keep winning, a deal seems unlikely.

But, if Helsley were to get moved, who could replace him as closer? FanSided's Thomas Gauvain floated three potential options, including Andre Granillo.

"RHP Andre Granillo," Gauvain said. "Rookie Andre Granillo made his debut earlier this year after multiple strong seasons in the minors. Granillo has made an excellent first impression. In 6.2 innings at the major-league level, Granillo has a 1.35 ERA and two strikeouts 6.2 with a 1-0 record and one save.

"His lone win and save came in the same day on a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Granillo has been racking up closing experience in the minors for over a year now, and he's tallied 30 saves as a prospect. It may be rocky at the start if Granillo supplants Helsley as the team's closer, but he has the pedigree to become a reliable closer."

The more St. Louis wins, the less it has to worry about something like this.