Cardinals Have Golden Opportunity To Trade $8.2 Million All-Star Closer Before 2025 Starts

The Cardinals should be all in on trying to deal their closer.

Sep 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) is doused with water by center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) and catcher Pedro Pages (43) after the Cardinals defeated the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals were very quiet this offseason as it pertains to their Major League roster. No signings or trades were made.

Fans were told that a "reset" was coming, and many assumed that meant trading some veterans to focus on the future. But instead, they remain stuck in the middle.

Ryan Helsley was one veteran that could have been on the move and brought back a haul if traded. He pitched a scoreless inning on Tuesday against the New York Mets.

After saving 49 games last season, his value is high, and the Cardinals should take advantage of the opportunity to trade him while they still can.

"If the Cardinals could not move third baseman Nolan Arenado, who blew his initial chance to leave when he rejected a trade to the Houston Astros, they should have at least dealt closer Ryan Helsley and right-hander Erick Fedde," Ken Rosenthal wrote in The Athletic.

Helsley's 49 saves set a Cardinals franchise record in a single season. The 2025 season is still weeks away from beginning, but after a strong start to the spring, St. Louis still has a chance to trade him and bring back the best possible package.

By holding on to him, they have risked the possibility of him suffering a severe injury or struggling and losing trade value. If the Cardinals can't move him at the deadline, then they will have lost their chance to restock the farm system with some Major League ready prospects.

We'll see if they change their minds before the season starts.

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