The Cardinals’ direction is one of the key storylines of the offseason. The franchise has made clear they’re prioritizing the future while giving more playing time to young players in 2025. They’ve pushed back on initial chatter about a complete teardown, at least in part because a couple veterans with no-trade clauses prefer to see things through in St. Louis.
Even if they’re not in a complete rebuild, the Cardinals should gauge interest on players with limited windows of contractual control. That’s especially true in the bullpen. Their star closer will get the most calls from other teams, but St. Louis has a few relievers who could come up in talks. Projected salaries are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
- Ryan Helsley (eligible for arbitration through 2025, $6.9MM projected salary)
The Cards are down to one year of control over Helsley. If they’re not all-in for 2025, he should move either this winter or at next summer’s deadline. An offseason deal would give an acquiring team a few extra months of Helsley’s services and allow them to consider a qualifying offer when he hits free agency.
Katie Woo of the Athletic wrote last week that the Cardinals were already receiving quite a bit of interest. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggested the Cards may need to be “overwhelmed” to deal the righty, but they should be able to weigh multiple compelling offers.
Helsley is among the best few relievers in MLB. He’s coming off three straight fantastic seasons. Helsley broke out with a 1.25 earned run average across 64 2/3 innings in 2022. A forearm strain wiped out a few months of his ’23 campaign, but he posted a 2.45 ERA through 36 2/3 frames when able to take the mound. Helsley’s arm held up over a completely healthy season this year. He fired a career-best 66 1/3 innings with a 2.04 mark over 65 appearances.
After beginning his career in a setup role, Helsley proved himself an elite closer this past season. He led the majors with 49 saves while surrendering only four leads. He paced the National League with 62 games finished. Helsley punched out nearly 30% of opposing hitters against a tolerable 8.6% walk rate. Going back to the start of the ’22 season, he carries a 1.83 ERA with a huge 34.6% strikeout percentage through 167 2/3 innings.
Helsley has the kind of overpowering arsenal teams want in the late innings. His four-seam fastball sits above 99 MPH. Opponents had a surprising amount of success against that heater this year, but the ability to reach back for triple digit heaters makes it tough for hitters to adjust to his wipeout slider. Opponents whiffed on more than half their swings against the Helsley slider in 2024. He got swinging strikes at a 17.3% clip overall, a top 15 mark among relievers with at least 20 innings.
Alongside Devin Williams, Helsley is one of this winter’s top two bullpen trade candidates. He’d fit for any contender. Teams that already have a closer could push him into the eighth inning. Clubs like the Phillies, Rangers and Red Sox have seen their closers hit free agency. The Blue Jays, Yankees, Orioles, Royals and Diamondbacks are other potential suitors.
- JoJo Romero (eligible for arbitration through 2026, $1.9MM projected salary)
Romero has had a nice two-plus year run at Busch Stadium. Acquired from the Phillies at the 2022 deadline for utility player Edmundo Sosa, Romero has emerged as skipper Oli Marmol’s top lefty reliever. He has posted consecutive seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA, turning in a career-best 3.36 mark through 59 innings this year.
There are some concerns. After striking out 28.6% of batters faced in 2023, he posted a middling 21% strikeout rate this year. Romero had a much more difficult time missing bats within the zone in 2024. That’s an issue for a pitcher who has never excelled at getting batters to chase off the plate. Romero has intriguing stuff, pairing a 94 MPH sinker with a slider and changeup. The breaking ball is by far his best offering and served as the putaway pitch for 40 of his 51 strikeouts this year.
As one might expect given that profile, Romero has been much better against same-handed hitters. Lefties have a .172/.267/.270 slash against him in his career, while right-handed hitters have teed off at a .280/.337/.472 clip. His 2024 platoon splits are just as extreme. Romero might be best suited for a situational role, but perhaps another team feels there’s a tweak they can make to get better production against righty hitters. While Romero has increased the usage on his slider in every season since 2021, he still only used it about a third of the time this year.
Romero finished the year on the injured list due to forearm inflammation. The Cardinals announced that he isn’t expected to require surgery and should have a normal offseason. Assuming that’s the case, he should attract interest.
John King (eligible for arbitration through 2027, $1.5MM projected salary)
The 30-year-old King isn’t as well known as Helsley or Romero, but he’s coming off a nice season. The southpaw turned in a 2.85 ERA through a career-high 60 innings spanning 56 appearances. King is a pure ground-ball specialist. He kept the ball on the ground at a massive 61.7% rate this year and has a career rate just north of 62%. Among the 160 relievers who threw at least 50 innings, only three (Tim Hill, Clay Holmes and Yennier Cano) had a higher grounder percentage.
King doesn’t miss bats, but he’s a situational lefty who should appeal to teams looking to deepen their middle relief group. (The Yankees make for a speculative fit considering New York’s love of relievers with plus grounder rates.) King is cheaply controllable for another three seasons and has held left-handed batters to a .250/.300/.320 slash over 308 career plate appearances. While the Cardinals aren’t under any contractual pressure to deal him, this isn’t the type of player that St. Louis would refuse to entertain in trade talks. If the Cards could pull a mid-level prospect or two, King could be on the move.
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The Cards have two other bullpen arms who’d attract interest, though they’re less likely to move. Rule 5 pick Ryan Fernandez had a strong rookie season. With five more years of team control, St. Louis probably prefers to hold him in a leverage role. Former top prospect Matthew Liberatore looks to have found a home in relief. He’s also still controllable for five seasons. The Cardinals aren’t likely to find an offer that pushes them to move the 25-year-old southpaw this early in his career.
If the Cardinals blow it up sure I would trade all 3 of these guys. And as a fan I would like them to blow it all up. But I don’t think it’s gonna happen folks. I don’t think Helsley gets dealt until perhaps July.
All non-Cardinal teams in the NL Central seem like they have good major league pieces in place, with controllable young talented phenoms. And none of those other ownership groups want to spend money. It’s hard to commit to a tear down when you know the other teams in your division will have holes in their roster because the owners are hyper cheap. If someone else in the division were to make a major splash acquiring talent, then sure, tear it all down. But as it currently sits, STL can sign some basic starting pitching and still be in the race toward the end of the season.
Well, the Cubs are at least willing to spend, but they also don’t have as good of a core as the Cardinals, Brewers, and Reds do.
The Cards have a big fanbase. So first, they gotta sell those season ticket packages. The sell-off won’t happen til the trade deadline when they’re hovering round .500 and chasing the last wild card spot. Next season will look much like last season….
I agree for the most part Hairston. But last year they were right in it and if San Diego and Arizona hadn’t played so well down the stretch when the Cardinals didn’t they could have been a playoff team.
Just be glad they’re in the central duking it out for 2nd best. In the west and east, they’d be sitting comfortably in 4th place….
@jerryhairston I hope the Cardinals aren’t so short sighted that they’re holding Helsley to sell some tickets.
.5 year of Helsley w no QO is probably going to net alot less than a whole year + a QO.
Despite having 1.5 years left, I think the Hader trade minus Taylor Rogers is a good benchmark for both Helsely and Devin.
I’d be more excited about 2 borderline top 100 prospects than Helsley this year if I was a Cardinal fan.
That’s really not how it works Russ. Ida worth it for teams to wait until July before making a move for an guy like Helsley. The difference between now and July I bet isn’t much at all.
Someone spit out a trade proposal. I certainly have.
If the Diamondbacks want to give up Druw Jones for Helsley i say do it. Will they do that? I don’t know
There is always a chance someone overpays come July(see Padres w Scott) but the QO has value and so does half a season. Not to mention pitcher injury risk, say Helsely blows his arm out in May they are walking away with nothing, not even a comp pick.
I guess if Cardinal brass decides there is a good chance they can make the playoffs they should hold onto him.
As for the return, I’d bet 2 borderline top 100 guys, 45+ to 50 fv range. Druw Jones seems to be very polarizing, and the diamondbacks spent a big pick on him, so maybe he isn’t 1 of them, but 2 prospects around his quality yeah.
Just glancing at the diamondbacks system I could see something like 1 of Tommy Troy/Druw Jones and 1 of Lin/Mena. That’s possibly even lighter than how Gasser/Ruiz were thought of when they moved for Hader
If the Cardinals trade Helsley it will hurt ticket sales. It will be a sign to the fans that the team isn’t trying in 2025 and that will hurt ticket sales. Now we as fans don’t consider thst sort of stuff but the GM and owner does.
Troy looks like Edman 2.0 he would be cool but yeah need a little more.
The difference between now and July is the risk of injury – trade him now
Use Helsley in a trade with the Orioles to obtain Holliday. That’d get you 2 for one! The Cardinals could then get Matt Holliday back in the Cardinals system.
Unless they are trimming the fat to sell. I think they secretly are
Doesn’t Bruce Sutter have a son or daughter? Maybe they’re available?
And just a side note here I kinda got sick of fans from other teams telling me how little they want Helsley. If the GMS acted the way some of the fans did on this site he’s not going anywhere. Red Sox, Yankee, Diamondbacks and Rangers all telling me how they don’t really need Helsley. 20 years ago people didn’t care about prospects now it’s too far the other way and fans think prospects are more important than winning.
you keep carrying those torches that no one else will carry, Joel. You sure do pick the weirdest/oddest hills to die on.
Hahaha.
You suggested trading Helsley but of course you don’t suggest what we would actually get for him.
So who are we getting champ? Perhaps if you had more knowledge of the minor leagues you could provide some ideas. Right?
You’re getting a lot less than you think. It’s the Cardinals and they can’t evaluate talent to save their life, let alone develop it. Thankfully, the Rays don’t need a closer or stl would probably offer Helsley and a future mlb regular for a sun-bleached dog turd.
I don’t know there a New sheriff in town Chaim Bloom and I know he has his detractors (80% of BOS fans estimate) (Mookie trade was forced) he did some good things in Tampa Bay (made some good judgements) for many years although not by himself.
Andrew Friedman was there also.
Some years overlap I believe
Plan A Grab a Wild Card
Get Hot in the Playoffs and Win a World Series.
It’s Elementary.
P.S. Can’t We All Get Along? at Least Try?
Blessed Are the PeaceMakers.
Yeah i hear you believe. You get in the playoffs anything can happen. Heck the Dodgers were supposed to be a dynasty 20 years ago but they choked in the playoffs for years.
Let’s Think Positive
Stay on the Sunny Side of the Street Will Ya?
For CrynOutLoud.
It’s Almost Christmas – Insert Linus speech here Please
It’s Not Such a Bad Tree Charlie Brown, It Just Needs _____
It’s an Infinity Loop.
Shouldn’t you be crying and farting about how a Cubs fan had the audacity to write an article?
He’s not a Cubs fan
You can’t be too sure. Better prime the pumps. Just in case.
Maybe you should go prime your pump…..
Want to watch? You nasty girl
The bloated contract of an underperforming 3B does not help.
As far as bloated contracts go there are worse ones on the team. Areando is still a good player just not as good as he used to be. Mikolas and Matz make a combined 30 million or so and what are they?
This is simple for the Cards. Helsley will net probably 2 top prospects in today’s world of baseball. Hate to see him go but please let him go for that. Arenado is a shell of his former self….eat some salary, let the dodgers grab him, end of story. Cut the salaries, let the kids play and make the cardinals great again from inside the organization. Will they win a WS that way? Idk but it’s worked before…
Yeah there’s what we might want them to do then there is what they actually will do. I bet he’s traded in July and it wont be for much less than they could get for him today. Might as well make a run at it.
True, but unfortunately Mikolas has no trade value (in addition to his no trade clause), and Matz won’t have much trade value until he can prove that he’s healthy and effective again.
The problem with trading Arenado is:
A) His contract is partially underwater, yet he’s still a good player, so it makes more economic sense to keep him.
B) He’s signed through 2027, when they’ll still want him on the team when they’re seriously competing again.
C) He’s due for a huge pay cut in 2027, so it would be a real shame to give up that last year on his contract.
Anyway, the Cardinals do appear interested in testing the market for him, but even if he is willing to waive his no trade clause, they don’t have to trade him unless they find the right deal.
Economically it could make plenty of sense to trade him. It’s not my money but the team would save money by trading him. As far as being signed until 2027 he might get worse as the years go by there is a good chance that will happen.
It’s not the Cardinals that are interested in dealing him it’s him he wants out.
Did Arenado really admit to that? – Not just caught on a hot mike where he thought it was a private conversation?
Do we know or suspect teams he would allow a trade to?
I think if Nolan has a little more patience Cardinals could surprise.
A few players to generate more runs and improve the starters. Keep Sonny Gray and Fedde. That’s a good start.
Keep Matz in the bullpen. Too inconsistent.
You Mr. or Ms. BitA always (or usually) make a lot of good baseball points to me. But I’m just one guy. Others can speak for themselves and they do apparently.
I don’t see enough StL games and know enough about their farm system. Just casual observations. Peace.
The Cardinals have a Great History and Future!
Mozeliak said there is one player that either they came to or the player came to them and wants out. He did say that. He did not identify that player as Arenado but I strongly believe that’s who it was.
Arenado is so pissed off that he opted into his contract for this that they have to move him. He left around $100 million on the table by opting in after the 2022 season. People like him were getting huge contracts into their 40s at that time. He stayed to win, not wallow in mediocrity and failure. He needs to be moved.
If Arenado had opted out it would have been in the best interest of the Cardinals. I understand it didn’t appear that way at the time and because of that perhaps the front office owes him the right to request a trade now.
Arenado is like a girl who leaves her boyfriend for you and then a couple years later you wonder why she does the same to you.
@Blackpink
I get the analogy, but her ex boyfriend didn’t pay millions for her to move in with you…
(Gotta be honest, I’m still amazed the Rockies paid the Redbirds to take him away. Even as an A’s fan of Magic Matt Chapman, I think Arenado is the best defensive 3B I’ve even seen)….
Ok husband then. Is that better?
Arenado was coming off a bad year at the time of the deal. It wasn’t a sure thing he would bounce back
Helsley is as good as gone because he has great trade value. The other two will go only if there’s a very good offer.
Free agent after next season + cutting payroll = sayonara….
Agree. Helsley should be gone by the conclusion of the Winter Meetings in December. I stress “should”….anything afterwards and you risk his trade value plummeting due to injury, regression, number of teams interested, etc..
Get it done, make the trade…..preferably to a smaller/mid market team that feels they have what it takes to contend now. Those teams always have a good farm system in place and usually have a competitive balance pick that they can trade….Example : Tampa
Tampa has Fairbanks they won’t want to give up prospects for Helsley.
You trade him now you take the hope out of the 2025 season. And that’s not something DeWitt wants to do.
You trade him for a ood, controllable RH OF and you just increased my hope
Who is that player? And if we do that where is he going to play?
Arenado will probably get dealt
Arenado
Nootbaar
Something else
For
Jasson Dominguez
Do that you get a good young player and you don’t have to throw in the towel for 2025.
The best move would be to sign Helsley to an extension. You don’t want to let the franchise’s best closer since Isringhausen go if you can help it.
If not, maybe they trade him, or maybe they keep him on a still affordable arb salary to do their best to compete next year on a somewhat smaller payroll.
If you asked me today what will happen i think they will trade Helsley in July and sign Williams in the offseason who is from St Louis.
Cardinals should have blown it up 2 years ago. Smart move is quick rebuild.
After the 93 win season where they won the division they should have just blown it all up?
Really????
Yes, 2023 trade deadline instead of selling they made a half hearted attempt at bolstering the roster that didn’t improve the team for the future. 2024 was more of the same adding every 35 year old pitcher known to man. It made no sense.
They traded away a lot of guys at the 2023 deadline. Last year they were a playoff team at the time of the trade deadline were they supposed to sell then?
This is hindsight garbage. Only 1 team wins it all each year. Did the Yankees make a mistake by not selling at the deadline?
Yet it worked. Improving to a winning record immediately after a 91-loss season was an excellent job. Had they not decided to restructure things this offseason to improve long-term stability, they’d likely improve even further next year.
Yeah, it was completely unexpected how the pitching blew up on them in 2023.
TV deal is done. Slashing salary shouldn’t be as drastic as it could have been without that money. Talent wise either blow it up or don’t but most importantly don’t go half way.
Maybe they trade Helsley (maybe), but they’re not tearing down the whole bullpen! They need these guys to compete in 2026 if not to help them to a decent record in 2025.
Even if they were tearing down the roster, they still need a few decent relievers beyond just Fernandez so that they don’t rush their pitching prospects before they’re ready.
Helsleys trade value will never be higher. Every player on the roster should be available at the right price at this point(I’d even include Winn). They have tons of role players and need to churn some real impact players internally then supplement them in 2-3 yrs with FAs if they want to return to a consistent winner. If not they will remain what they have been for the past few years.
MN Twins need a couple lefties for our pen…
If they trade away Helsley, Romero, King and don’t resign Kittredge, they’d have no effective relievers in the ‘pen. I don’t see that happening but I do believe Helsley gets dealt barring an extension.