Because the Cardinals eye a reset targeted on youthful gamers in 2025, Mark Feinsand, John Denton, and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com report that the membership has acquired curiosity from the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks concerning nearer Ryan Helsley. A subsequent report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports activities 98.7 confirms the curiosity in Helsley on the a part of the D-Backs, although Gambadoro provides that the Cardinals don’t look like all for dealing their nearer.
That obvious disinclination to deal Helsley meshes with a report from earlier this month that characterised St. Louis as unlikely to half methods with Helsley this winter, with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak suggesting on the time that they plan on Helsley remaining with the crew for 2025. Given the perennial need for high-end reduction expertise on the commerce deadline every summer time, it stands to motive that if Helsley pitches something like he did in 2024 (2.04 ERA, 49 saves, 29.7% strikeout charge) within the first half of 2025 the Cardinals would nonetheless be capable to land fairly the haul for his providers within the occasion they aren’t in place to push for a return to the playoffs.
Provided that actuality, it’s maybe not a shock that the Cardinals have seemingly set an extremely excessive bar for even contemplating transferring on from the two-time All-Star. The 30-year-old has been among the many league’s most dominant relievers lately, with a 1.83 ERA and 82 saves to go together with a 34.6% strikeout charge in 167 2/3 innings of labor for the reason that begin of the 2022 marketing campaign. That type of dominant reduction profile can web a powerful return even with only one 12 months of crew management remaining, because the Brewers demonstrated after they acquired Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin from the Yankees in alternate for star nearer Devin Williams.
Contemplating a report earlier this week instructed that the Snakes had curiosity in Williams earlier than he was in the end traded to the Yankees, it’s maybe no shock that Arizona has made contact with the Cardinals concerning Helsley. Membership brass has made plain their objective of including high-leverage reduction assist this winter following the lack of Paul Sewald to free company. The membership’s present back-end trio of Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, and Kevin Ginkel is a strong one, but it surely’s simple to see why the Diamondbacks would have curiosity in bumping a younger arm like Martinez out of the nearer position and bringing in somebody extra established.
The Blue Jays, in the meantime, look like out there for upgrades to nearly each space of their roster after a disappointing 2024 season that noticed them end useless final within the AL East. As star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. enters his remaining 12 months of crew management earlier than free company, Toronto seems to be targeted on including a bat to the lineup who may also help supply him safety and bulking up a beginning rotation that misplaced Yusei Kikuchi to a midseason commerce and stands to lose Chris Bassitt to free company subsequent winter. Along with these two points, nevertheless, it might’t be ignored that the Jays non-tendered longtime nearer Jordan Romano final month and at the moment determine to depend on Chad Inexperienced and the just lately re-signed Yimi Garcia within the late innings. Including a transfer confirmed nearer to that blend would absolutely assist flip round a Blue Jays membership that noticed its relievers battle to the second-worst ERA and the worst FIP in baseball final 12 months.
Different choices past Helsley exist for strengthening both membership’s bullpen corps, in fact. It’s unclear whether or not both membership would spend what it takes to land a top-of-the-market closing choice like Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman, however veteran closers like Kenley Jansen, Kirby Yates, and David Robertson are all accessible in free company this winter and could possibly be had on a shorter dedication. Sewald, José Leclerc, and Chris Martin are among the many different relievers accessible who might affect a membership’s late-inning combine and could possibly be extra reasonably priced than different choices accessible.
