Mets Predicted To Consider Blockbuster Trade For Cardinals Flamethrower

St. Louis might complete a deal with New York this summer

May 5, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have a solid bullpen this season with multiple relievers who could be shopped before the trade deadline and the New York Mets might be heavily interested.

For instance, left-handed pitcher Steven Matz and right-handed pitcher Phil Maton have been exceptional in the Cardinals' bullpen this season. With both veteran hurlers on expiring contracts, there's a solid chance they could be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline.

However, there's another Cardinals reliever whose high-market trade value could interest Mets owner and multi-billionaire Steven Cohen as he looks to bolster his team's roster before chasing the franchise's third World Series title this fall.

"Their (Mets) one big question is the bullpen," New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote Tuesday when discussing the Mets' second-half concerns. "Don’t blame their relievers, as they were probably worn down by overuse out of necessity. The main thing they’ll need to do is upgrade their pen, and with Steve Cohen’s bank account and a win-at-mostly-all costs outlook, it’s hard to imagine they won’t get what they need in a market where half the best available players just might be relievers. (Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, David Bednar, Dennis Santana and Ryan Helsley and many other fine relievers are expected to at least be discussed.)"

Helsley has logged a 3-1 record with a 3.27 ERA, 36-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .260 batting average against a 1.42 WHIP and 19 saves in 33 innings pitched for St. Louis this year.

Considering that Helsley earned the 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year award and has remained consistent this season, he poses as a solid rental option for contenders, such as the Mets, to bolster their bullpen before pushing for the playoffs in the second half of 2025.

Although the Mets have a bona fide closing pitcher with RHP Edwin Díaz, adding Helsley to the back of their bullpen, which ranks 14th with a 3.83 ERA, 17th with a 1.30 WHIP and 13th in batting average against (.240), should help tremendously.

Whether the Cardinals plan to trade Helsley before the deadline remains to be known but one thing's for sure -- if the two-time All-Star is shopped, many contenders will look to make a deal for him.

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