The St. Louis Cardinals came into July with a postseason berth at their fingertips. But this month hasn’t been kind to St. Louis.
The team has lost more than they’ve won, and it could result in the Cardinals selling rather than buying at the upcoming trade deadline.
The top name on the Cardinals roster that could draw trade attention is closer Ryan Helsley. He’s on an expiring contract and Spotrac projects him to sign for $81 million in free agency.
FanSided’s Christopher Kline recently predicted the Cardinals would cut ties with Helsley ahead of the trade deadline following this tough stretch of losses.
“Ryan Helsley, 31, is clearly St. Louis’ most valuable trade bait right now. The veteran reliever is finally slated to hit free agency this winter, and while the Cardinals are more than capable of re-signing him, incoming president Chaim Bloom seems destined to pivot in a new direction,” Kline wrote. “Helsley’s production has plateaued just enough to think his days as a perennial All-Star candidate are over. Or at least numbered. Now is the right time for St. Louis to pull the plug and get (significant) value back.”
Trading Helsley has always been the right decision for the Cardinals to make. He’s unlikely to re-sign in St. Louis regardless of whether he’s traded. It would be foolish for the Cardinals to hold onto such a valuable asset without landing anything in return.
If and when he’s shopped on the trade market, there’s a chance the Cardinals could land a star prospect or two alongside multiple other talented young prospects.
Helsley’s trade value is still sky high despite a bit of a rough first half of the season. It would make plenty of sense for the Cardinals to trade him.
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