Red Sox Early Deadline Prediction Sees $8 Million All-Star Closer Headed To Boston

Will the bullpen be the Sox's top priority?

Sep 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) enters the game against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox expect to compete for a playoff spot in 2025, and doing so may require further roster upgrades.

Over the winter, Boston greatly improved its starting rotation and added an all-important right-handed bat in Alex Bregman. If there's a weakness that seems due for an upgrade at some point, though, it's the bullpen.

Between Liam Hendriks, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and Justin Slaten, the Red Sox are hoping their closer for the stretch run is on the roster already. But none of those four has been a reliable big-league closer since at least 2022, so there's a decent chance Boston will still be looking.

With that background in mind, one Red Sox writer has a fairly strong inkling as to who the team might pursue at the 2025 trade deadline.

On Friday, NBC Sports Boston's Justin Leger predicted that the Red Sox would acquire St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, a two-time All-Star and 2024 Major League Baseball saves leader, as a rental in a deadline deal.

"Helsley has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason as he enters the final year of his contract," Leger wrote. "It looks like he'll remain on their roster for now, but the hard-throwing righty is a prime candidate to be moved next summer with St. Louis rebuilding and unlikely to contend."

"Unless Aroldis Chapman, Liam Hendriks, or Justin Slaten thrives in the closer role, Helsley would stabilize the back end of the 'pen and turn Boston's weakness into a strength. He shouldn't cost an arm and a leg either since he'll be a rental."

Helsley, 30, has an impressive 1.88 ERA since the start of the 2022 season. Last year, he set a career-high with 49 saves, while striking out 79 batters in 66 1/3 innings. He'll make $8.2 million in his final year of arbitration before heading to free agency in November.

With the right closer at the back end of the Boston bullpen, everything else should naturally fall into place. And Helsley seems like a safer bet to secure that role for the Red Sox than anyone they currently have in house.

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