Phillies Bullpen Trade Target Is '90 Percent' Certain He'll Be Dealt at Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be one of the more aggressive teams at next week's trade deadline, and there are some very specific areas they could use a boost in order to make another deep playoff run.

The starting rotation has been the strength of the team all year, but it has faltered lately and could use another option. Not to mention the outfield is in need of some major retooling as well.

By far the most significant need is in the bullpen, though, and a true closer would be phenomenal given the suspension of Jose Alvarado.

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Who Could Phillies Acquire To Save Bullpen at Trade Deadline?

One player the Phillies have often been linked to is St. Louis Cardinals shutdown man Ryan Helsley.

The fact that Helsley is a rental on a young Cardinals team makes it almost a guarantee he will be dealt, and by the sounds of it, he knows that's reality that could happen.

"I want to stay here, I want to help us win," Helsley said via Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic (subscription required). "I would say it's 90 percent I go, 10 percent I stay."

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Industry experts seem to concur with this assessment, as later in the article it was mentioned how Helsley's percentage assessment on the chances sounds to be about accurate given he is a free agent after this year.

"Moving Helsley, who will be a first-time free agent at the end of the season, seems unavoidable," Woo and Sammon wrote. "The Cardinals elected to hold on to Helsley coming into the year, a decision that baffled rival executives at the time. At least five teams have inquired with varying degrees of interest, league sources said."

The 31-year-old has not been quite as dominant this season as he's been in years past, pitching to a 3.09 ERA and 1.400 WHIP.

Still, he has recorded 20 saves and 39 strikeouts in 35 innings and can still be relied upon to shut a game down when it matters most.

Last season, Helsley had a 2.04 ERA and Major League-leading 49 saves, so if he can get back to that kind of form, he has the potential to change the outlook of Philadelphia's bullpen.

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Most reports surrounding the Phillies have stated they aren't just looking for rental pieces after losing two of them in free agency this past winter.

Landing a controllable reliever at the trade deadline is a whole lot easier said than done, though.

If Philadelphia wants to land an insurance plan at closer who may be cheaper than guys signed beyond this season, Helsley could prove to be a perfect fit.

Whether they are one of the five teams reported to be in touch is not known, but if they are not already on the phone with the Cardinals, Dave Dombrowski better hustle before Helsley is dealt elsewhere.

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