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5 hours ago
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The Detroit Tigers are riding high. At 29-15, they own the best record in Major League Baseball.
They have a 3 1/2 game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central and are certainly proving that last year's underdog run was no fluke.
However, they have some issues that need to be addressed. The bullpen, while strong could use another back-end presence, as closer Beau Briske has struggled.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report notes that relief pitching is a major need for Detroit. With that in mind, perhaps the Tigers could give the St. Louis Cardinals a call about All-Star closer Ryan Helsley.
"The Tigers rank third in the majors with a 2.91 ERA from their relief corps, so the bullpen is far from a weakness. But given the way manager A.J. Hinch deploys his pitching staff, they could always use another quality arm," Reuter notes. "The early struggles of Beau Brieske (12 G, 7.11 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) have opened the door for the team to pursue another late-inning arm.
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The Cardinals are playing well as of now, having won 10 of their last 11 games. However, teams are going to be calling them about Helsley, regardless of where they are in the standings.
The Tigers have a strong farm system and could pull off a deal with their prospect capital.
Last year, Helsley saved 49 games, setting a Cardinals franchise record while also earning his second All-Star nod and the National League Reliever of the Year award.
This year, he has saved eight games and owns a 3.00 ERA. He could significantly boost the Tigers bullpen and make them a serious threat to win their first World Series title since 1984.
If the Tigers are serious about making a run, Helsley is the best option available, assuming the Cardinals decide to sell rather than buy.
It will be interesting to see where things stand at the deadline. But Detroit would be wise to give St. Louis a call about Helsley.
More MLB: Tigers strongly urged against trade for 8-time All-Star from Cardinals
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