Insiders predict Cardinals could trade $8.2 million All-Star closer

The St. Louis Cardinals are red-hot, having won 8 of their past 10 games and secured astatine slightest a bid divided against nan rival Chicago Cubs.

They are 44-36 and now beryllium conscionable 2 1/2 games down nan Cubs for nan apical spot successful nan National League Central. However, their waste and acquisition deadline strategy is not clear.

Chad Jennings, Aaron Gleeman and Tim Britton of The Athletic listed nan Cardinals arsenic a squad connected nan obstruction successful position of buying aliases selling, arsenic they are a contender, but person respective tradable pieces.

The insiders predicted that nan Cardinals could waste and acquisition All-Star person Ryan Helsley and bring backmost a coagulated return.

"The Red Sox and Cardinals could waste and acquisition their closers (Aroldis Chapman and Ryan Helsley) for a meaningful return, while entrusting nan ninth inning to personification younger."

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The Cardinals missed their champion opportunity to waste and acquisition Helsley past offseason aft he group a franchise grounds pinch 49 saves and was named nan NL Reliever of nan Year.

He has apt mislaid immoderate value, arsenic his ERA sits astatine 3.54 aft he posted a 2.04 people successful 2024.

However, rental pitching is ever astatine a premium, and if past year's waste and acquisition deadline was immoderate indication, specified pitchers will bring backmost coagulated returns for trading teams.

The Cardinals are contending, truthful that complicates things a small bit, but they could surely bring backmost a coagulated haul for Helsley, arsenic he apt will not beryllium backmost successful 2026.

If Helsley is traded, St. Louis would person to springiness nan closer's domiciled to different reliever, but nan deadline represents their past opportunity to capitalize connected his value.

It will beryllium absorbing to spot what his marketplace looks like.

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