MLB teams are always in need of relief pitchers, especially around the trade deadline. Many believed the St. Louis Cardinals could secure a significant return for Ryan Helsley, particularly after the interest he received during the offseason. However, new insights from Jim Bowden of The Athletic suggest that the Cardinals’ front office may have held onto Helsley for too long.
When a Philadelphia Phillies fan asked Bowden about a “reasonable return” for Helsley, his response indicated that it might not take much to acquire the veteran right-hander. This could be seen as a criticism of how the Cardinals have handled the situation.
Cardinals’ return for Ryan Helsley in hypothetical Phillies trade leaves much to be desired
Bowden believes the Cardinals could fetch second baseman Aroon Escobar and outfielder Griffin Burkholder, Philadelphia’s Nos. 6 and 9 prospects. That’s far off from where we were over the winter, to say the least. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak and Co. ostensibly squandered a prime sell-high opportunity and have shot themselves in the foot.
Escobar barely cracks the Top 100 Pipeline rankings (No. 97), and Burkholder doesn’t. How is a package centered around underwhelming farm system reinforcements a sensible incoming package for one of baseball’s best closers? Where did St. Louis go wrong? This hypothetical swap with Philly would be a perplexing outcome for Mozeliak.
Turning 31 this month, Helsley is in the midst of a down campaign and is slated for unrestricted free agency. Given the circumstances, his value has seemingly taken a hit. Giving up premium young talent for him right now isn’t as appealing, which stings when multiple suitors expressed interest six-plus months ago.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals have zero leverage, playing into the Phillies’ (or any other prospective bidder) hands. Helsley’s on an expiring contract, and St. Louis reportedly hasn’t discussed an extension with him. Rival executives can say: “Take our pu pu platter or risk the reigning Reliever of the Year hitting the open market, your choice.”
Helsley is 3-0 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.387 WHIP, 35 strikeouts and 18 saves across 31 innings of work in 2025. The two-time All-Star is uncharacteristically tied for the league lead in blown saves. The hard-throwing hurler already exceeded last year’s total of four, when he notably led the Majors in saves (49).
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