The St. Louis Cardinals missed the postseason in 2024 after finishing the regular season 83-79. Now, they appear prepared to engage in a rebuild of sorts.
The magnitude of the rebuild is not yet known, but St. Louis could ship out some notable pieces.
One such piece could be All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, who set the single-season franchise record with 49 saves during the regular season. St. Louis could receive some solid Major League ready pieces in exchange.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicted that St. Louis would send Helsley to the Philadelphia Phillies and bring back a good haul in exchange.
"The Cardinals appear likely to cut costs this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors projected a $6.9 million salary for Helsley in his final year of arbitration," Kelly wrote. "The Cardinals could shed that and bring back a notable prospect, such as outfielder Justin Crawford. It's also possible the Cardinals could consider Alec Bohm or Bryson Stott if the Phillies don't value them as much as they maybe did a year ago."
This would be an interesting deal for the Cardinals to make. They obviously are looking to shed payroll and likely won't be a contender in 2025.
Helsley could bring them back the best possible haul. He is a free agent after the 2025 season, and it would be smart to capitalize on his value while they still can.
In all likelihood, even if the Cardinals were going to contend in 2025, they wouldn't have been able to re-sign Helsley after the season.
The Phillies could send them a good haul in return, though, and it will be interesting to see what is included in that package.
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