Cardinals Trade Deadline Blockbuster Aging Like Fine Wine For St. Louis

The Ryan Helsley trade was great for the Cardinals...

Aug 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Earlier this season, the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals agreed on a blockbuster trade deadline deal that sent Ryan Helsley to the Mets in exchange for a package of prospects. At the time, it didn't seem like the Cardinals landed much in return, but Helsley's contract expires at the end of the year, so landing prospects in return is a good thing.

Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently regraded the Helsley blockbuster, and the trade is aging much better for the Cardinals than it is for the Mets.

Ryan Helsley's descent from stardom looks good for Cardinals

Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) reacts as he walks off the field after the top of the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"Helsley's 100 mph heat made him an All-Star in 2022 and 2024, and he was red-hot when the Mets traded for him. His last 11 appearances for the Cardinals yielded just one run," Rymer wrote. "Alas, his tenure with the Mets has been an abject disaster. He made his 14th appearance for them on Wednesday and allowed three more earned runs, bringing his total as a Met to 14 through 11.0 innings. He's also allowed 19 hits and eight walks. Mets fans have lost so much faith in Helsley that "Ryan Helsley DFA" was trending on X on Wednesday.

"Baez and Dohm rank among the Cardinals' top 30 prospects for MLB Pipeline, so this deal still looks good on paper just on their account. Neither they nor Elissalt have impressed in the Cardinals' system, however. For their parts, Baez's OPS is about 100 points lower than where it was in the Mets system, and Dohm has a 5.11 ERA in five starts. Both are playing at the High-A level."

Now, the Cardinals' return hasn't been great, so it's not like they stole away a key prospect from the Mets, but it seems like they traded Helsley at the perfect time. His value has tanked since the deal as he's been one of the worst pitchers in baseball.

For the Mets, this trade has been responsible for multiple losses during a crucial stretch of games for the Mets. If Helsley had locked down each game he's pitched in, the Mets would be in a much better spot right now.

More MLB: Cardinals' Star Already Turning Heads, Called No. 2 Prospect in Baseball