Proper-hander Ryan Helsley spoke to reporters about his future with the Cardinals in the course of the membership’s Winter Warmup fan occasion this weekend. As relayed by Jeff Jones of the Belleville Information-Democrat, Helsley indicated that he was really beneath the impression he’d be getting traded this winter when the offseason started. The righty added that when his camp heard from president of baseball operations John Mozeliak about six weeks after the season ended and was instructed the Cardinals plan to carry onto him this winter, he initially believed the decision was to tell him of a commerce.
A part of Helsley’s perception that he was ticketed for a commerce this winter relies on the truth that there’s “by no means been any discuss extensions” between his camp and the Cardinals, he indicated. As famous by Jones, Helsley made clear that he would love to remain in St. Louis past the top of his time beneath staff management however referred to as negotiations a “two-way road” earlier than including that “if just one aspect needs [an extension], it’s not going to work out.”
It’s not a response that tasks a lot confidence from Helsley about his prospects of remaining on the town past the top of his contract. Whereas the Cardinals have been seen as unlikely to half with Helsley on the commerce market all winter even regardless of curiosity from rival golf equipment, preserving Helsley for the beginning of the common season doesn’t essentially imply that the membership has curiosity in preserving the right-hander within the fold long-term and even that they’re against contemplating a commerce for Helsley over the summer season if the membership isn’t in playoff rivalry.
The most important purpose for the membership to carry onto Helsley to open the season is that the membership hopes to take care of some degree of competitiveness in a comparatively weak NL Central division this yr. Helsley was among the many greatest closers in baseball final season as he posted a 2.04 ERA and a couple of.41 FIP in 66 1/3 innings of labor whereas amassing an MLB-best 49 saves. He struck out 29.7% of his opponents and continued to flash triple-digit velocity on his fastball. That’s the form of dominant efficiency that may considerably increase a staff’s odds of staying aggressive, and the Cardinals don’t have a bevy of younger aid arms able to step into Helsley’s sneakers the way in which they do with veteran hitters from the 2024 membership like Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado.
In fact, one other consideration is cash. Helsley and the Cardinals settled at an $8.2M wage to keep away from arbitration this yr. That $8.2M, whereas not insignificant, wouldn’t do as a lot to help the membership’s objective of decreasing payroll in 2025 as letting Goldschmidt (who signed for $12.5M with the Yankees final month) depart in free company did, to say nothing of how rather more impactful buying and selling most or all the $60M the Cardinals nonetheless owe Arenado over the following three seasons can be. In truth, Helsley’s impression relative to the Cardinals’ monetary obligation to him arguably makes him some of the useful gamers on the staff. Considered by way of that lens, it’s comprehensible that St. Louis is planning to maintain him within the fold by way of a minimum of the primary half of the season as they try and compete for a playoff spot.
As soon as Helsley is now not beneath staff management, that worth calculation figures to alter radically. Edwin Diaz and Josh Hader have set a brand new normal for elite relievers in free company by touchdown offers that garnered each greater than $90M over a five-year interval by measure of web current worth. Helsley’s monitor document isn’t fairly on the identical degree as Hader’s however even this yr’s prime free agent reliever, Tanner Scott, is rumored to be in line for an annual wage that might strategy $20M. If Scott, who had a dominant platform season however has a shorter monitor document of late-inning excellence than Helsley does, can land that form of deal in free company this winter it’s exhausting to think about the righty not garnering a deal that a minimum of comes near doubling his annual wage subsequent offseason.
That’s not the kind of contract extension that may make sense for a Cardinals membership that’s going through payroll constraints to supply, even earlier than contemplating the uncertainty the staff faces because it turns its focus in direction of creating youthful gamers on the massive league degree. That makes it considerably comprehensible for the Cardinals to not pursue an extension with Helsley at this level. In any case, enjoying out the ultimate yr of his contract permits them to depart the door open for a midseason commerce if the membership is out of rivalry whereas additionally not stopping them from re-upping with him after the season ought to they consider that he’s a match for his or her wants in 2026 and past. If the Cardinals exceed expectations and stay within the combine for a playoff spot all yr, it will likely be a lot simpler for them to challenge the extent of competitiveness in 2026 essential to make splurging on a more in-depth of Helsley’s caliber extra justifiable.
