Cardinals trade idea sends two-time All-Star closer to Rangers

The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten off to a very slow start this season. They are 14-17 and sit four games back of first place in the National League Central division.

The team is in the middle of a transition season and isn't looking to be a clear contender in 2025. This means that if they are out of the mix at the trade deadline, they could sell pieces off.

The biggest trade chip they have is two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. He is in the final year of his contract and is coming off a career year.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report proposed the idea of St. Louis trading Helsley to the Texas Rangers at the deadline.

"While they have exciting young talent like Wyatt Langford, this is a team full of players in their 30s, such as Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Adolis García, Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom. 2025 is as good of an opportunity as this group is going to get to win a second World Series together. Acquiring Helsley would help to improve their odds," Kelly writes.

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Texas does not have a true closer in their mix, so it would make sense for them to go big and add one in Helsley.

Meanwhile, St. Louis could obtain a haul of prospects in exchange for their closer so as to not waste his value. The trade deadline represents their last chance to do that.

If they don't trade him, they'll likely lose him in free agency for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick. The Cardinals need to set themselves up for 2026 and beyond if they want to speed up the process of their retool.

It will be interesting to see where things stand at the deadline, but Texas would be an ideal trading partner for St. Louis.

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