Cardinals Looking To Hold Onto Ryan Helsley?
4 months agoThe St. Louis Cardinals are entering a rebuilding stage this offseason, but teams that have talked to the Cardinals have come away with the impression that they will not trade closer Ryan Helsley. "It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have him be part of our organization," president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. Helsley is entering his age-30 season and is projected to earn $8.5 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility. His value is as high as it will probably ever be after he saved a league-high 49 games in 53 chances in 2024 on his way to winning the award for best closer in the National League. Helsley also had a strong 2.04 ERA in his 66 1/3 frames. The Cardinals are open to trading third baseman Nolan Arenado, but they aren't expected to go for a full teardown. The Cardinals also aren't considering moving Helsley to their starting rotation.
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
Ryan Helsley Earns Save On Opening Day
1 week agoSt. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher Ryan Helsley tossed a shutout inning en route to earning the save on Opening Day in their victory against the Minnesota Twins. Helsley struck out the first two batters he saw before allowing a two-out double to outfielder Harrison Bader. However, Helsley returned to form and struck out Matt Wallner to get the final out. Last season, Helsley was one of the most valuable relief pitchers in fantasy as he tallied 49 saves, the most in the National League. Across 66 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.04 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. He tallied 79 punchouts but held a modest 8.6 percent walk rate. Helsley also generated an elite 3.7 percent barrel rate and a 36,1 percent whiff rate. Even though the Cardinals may not be competing for the NL Central title this season, Helsley should see every save opportunity in St. Louis and remains a must-start option in all formats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Cardinals Haven't Had Contract Talks With Ryan Helsley
1 month agoSt. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley set a franchise record and led the majors with 49 saves in 2024 before getting a raise in salary arbitration from $3.5 million last year to $8.2 million in 2025. Helsley was a prime trade candidate in the offseason heading into the final year of his deal in 2025 and with the Cardinals looking to shed payroll, but general manager John Mozeliak fully intended to hang onto him to keep a rebuilding club competitive. However, the two sides have not started any extension talks, and depending on the team's performance, the 30-year-old could come up in trade rumors at this year's deadline. With Mozeliak stepping down after the 2025 season and adviser Chaim Bloom taking over baseball operations, this could very well be Helsley's last year in St. Louis. Regardless of Helsley's potential future, he should be viewed as a lock as a top-10 fantasy closer in 2025.
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo
Ryan Helsley, Cardinals Not Having Extension Conversations
3 months agoAccording to Jeff Jones of BND.com, the St. Louis Cardinals and right-handed pitcher Ryan Helsley are not having contract conversations. Helsley said he was "almost certain" he was going to be traded during the winter due to a lack of contract discussions. The relief pitcher noted, "But you know, at the same time, it's a two-way street, and if only one side wants it, it's not going to work out." Throughout the offseason, the Cardinals have been shopping several top players, including third baseman Nolan Arenado, in hopes to clear salary. In addition, starting pitchers Erick Fedde and Steven Matz have also been around trade discussions. Last season, the 30-year-old was one of the top closers in the sport, as he posted a 2.04 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP with 49 saves across 66 1/3 innings of work. For now, fantasy managers should expect Helsley to operate as the clear ninth-inning option in St. Louis but could find himself on the trade block if they fall out of the playoff picture.
Source: Jeff Jones
Source: Jeff Jones
Ryan Helsley No Longer Being Shopped
3 months agoAccording to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals are no longer actively shopping closer Ryan Helsley. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said that, "It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have (Helsley) be part of our organization." While Helsley was drawing interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays earlier this offseason, it appears the Cardinals would prefer to hold onto their closer for the time being. However, if they fall out of the playoff race early on, they may entertain conversations closer to the trade deadline. Last season, the 30-year-old tallied a career-high 49 saves with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 29.7% K rate and 3.7% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should view Helsley as a high-end closer heading into the 2025 season.
Source: Katie Woo
Source: Katie Woo
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