Cardinals Could Target Pair Of Top Prospects From Dodgers For Ryan Helsley

Who could the Cardinals bring in if they trade Ryan Helsley to the Dodgers?

Apr 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A hat and glove of an Los Angeles Dodgers player durng a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals may be falling out of contention early this season. They have lost five consecutive games and have fallen to 9-14 on the season.

This rough start has them in fourth place in the National League Central, 4 1/2 games back of the division leading Chicago Cubs. If they're out of contention, then closer Ryan Helsley will likely be traded.

Jon Conahan of Athlon Sports listed Helsley as somebody who could be a target for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Ryan Helsley could be available, a right-handed closer for the St. Louis Cardinals. Whether the Cardinals decide to move on from him remains to be seen, but there isn't much of a reason to keep him around unless they want to give him a QO and get a pick in return," Conahan wrote.

But if the Cardinals are to trade Helsley, they'll likely want some top prospects in return. Two in particular could help them, those being Daulton Rushing and Justin Wrobleski.

Rushing is the Dodgers' No. 2 prospect. He's a catcher, and St. Louis already has plenty of catchers in the system, but he can play some outfield too, and St. Louis is short on that.

St. Louis is also thin on Major League ready pitching with Quinn Mathews, Tink Hence and Cooper Hjerpe on the shelf. Wrobleski, a left-hander is Los Angeles' No. 11 prospect. He has struggled in his two stints at the big-league level, but he is somebody that could help the Cardinals immediately and at the very least give them some depth at the minor league level.

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