MLB Writer Predicts Cardinals Will Trade $81 Million Ryan Helsley

The St. Louis Cardinals seemingly entered a rebuild this offseason that began by letting some veterans walk in free agency. They followed this up by actively shopping Nolan Arenado in trades over the offseason.

But Arenado isn’t the only player the Cardinals could look to trade this season.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently listed Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley as one of the players most likely to be traded ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

“The Cardinals do have the ability to hold onto Helsley and extend a qualifying offer to him in the offseason, assuring that they at least get draft-pick compensation if he leaves in free agency,” Kelly wrote. “But for a team looking to restock their farm system and once again build a great pipeline, moving Helsley this summer might be a nice way for outgoing president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to set Chaim Bloom up for success.”

Helsley is on an expiring contract for the Cardinals this season. Spotrac projects him to sign for $81 million in free agency next offseason, and it seems quite unlikely the Cardinals will give him a deal worth around that much.

At that point, a trade becomes the clear top option.

The Cardinals could likely fetch a huge haul of prospects in return for the righty in the same way the Miami Marlins brought in a loaded haul for Tanner Scott last season.

Almost any contending team makes sense as a suitor for the flame-thrower.

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