Inside The Cardinals

Phillies Have 'Close Eye' On Cardinals Superstar Trade Candidate

Will the Cardinals and Phillies get some sort of deal done?
Patrick McAvoy|
May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsPhiladelphia Phillies

The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the best relievers in baseball and if they aren't able to make up ground in the standings, it wouldn't be a big shock to see him playing elsewhere by the time the summer gets here.

St. Louis has two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley in the back of the bullpen with a 3.60 ERA in 10 appearances so far after a 2024 campaign in which he had a 2.04 ERA in 65 outings and 49 saves. The Cardinals clearly like him as they opted against trading him this past offseason.

While this is the case, could that change this summer? It's obviously early, but it will come down to how the team performs over the next few months as they don't have any team control over him beyond this year as he will head to free agency.

USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the Philadelphia Phillies are a team already keeping a "close eye" on Helsley.

"The Philadelphia Phillies, among other teams, already are keeping a close eye on Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who will likely be dealt by the trade deadline," Nightengale said. "Yet, the Phillies are adamant they will not include top prospects Andrew Painter or Aidan Miller in any trade."

Philadelphia's bullpen arguably is the biggest reason why it got knocked out of the playoffs last year and it got even worse during the offseason. Keep an eye on the Phillies as we get closer to the summer.

More MLB: Cardinals Are 'Holding Back' Phenom Per MLB Writer

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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