The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed infielder/outfielder from the St. Louis Cardinals, as confirmed by both teams. The move drops the Cardinals’ 40-man roster count to 39, as there had been no prior indication that they had removed Helman. To make room on the 40-man, the Pirates transferred infielder Enmanuel Valdéz to the 60-day injured list.
Helman, who will turn 29 this month, has only a small amount of major league experience. He made 10 plate appearances with the Minnesota Twins last season, collecting three hits but also striking out three times. In February, he was traded to the Cardinals for cash considerations.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74083810/usa_today_25760834.0.jpg)
His 2025 season has been challenging so far. In 73 plate appearances at Triple-A, Helman has posted a .185/.260/.292 batting line with a 50 wRC+, meaning he’s been 50% worse than the league average. It’s possible the Cardinals hoped these struggles would allow him to slip through waivers, which is why they quietly put him on the wire.
However, the Pirates took advantage of the opportunity and claimed him, likely looking past his 2025 struggles and focusing on his past performance. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Helman had 480 minor league plate appearances, hitting 21 home runs and slashing .282/.356/.507 with a 121 wRC+. He still has all his minor league options available, so the Pirates can keep him in the minors to see if he can rebound. If he does, he could serve as a versatile utility player, as he has experience playing every position except for those in the battery.
As for Valdéz, he was recently placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation. His status remains uncertain, but being moved to the 60-day IL shortly after his initial placement doesn’t bode well for his return. He will now be ineligible to return until at least July.
Leave a Reply