Cardinals' Ryan Helsley drawing interest from two aspiring contenders

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks both have in St. Louis Cardinals' closer Ryan Helsley.

Helsley, 30, is coming off a phenomenal season where he set the franchise record for single-season saves. Ryan posted a 2.04 ERA and a 2.41 FIP to go along with his 1.10 WHIP. While this would be a career year for almost any reliever, it remains behind his 2022 season where he had a 1.25 ERA. Helsley has proven to be a top 3 closer over the last 3 seasons so it's no surprise teams are interested in adding him.

The Blue Jays are coming off a very underwhelming season finishing 74-88. Toronto made the Wild Card round of the postseason in 2023 before they fell to the Minnesota Twins in just 2 games. With both Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr set to become free agents after the 2025 season, the Blue Jays are looking to make one last run with them on the roster. Adding a dominant closer to the backend of their bullpen would certainly help.

Jordan Romano had been the Jays' All-Star level closer for the past few years but was absolutely dreadful in his small sample this season. Romano was non-tendered by the team at the beginning of the offseason. Toronto's bullpen currently has options of Yimi Garcia and Chad Green as the most likely to take the closer. Both solid relievers, but I'd feel much more comfortable with the pair as my 7th and 8th inning guys.

In terms of the prospect return the Cardinals could receive, it's slim pickings. The Jays farm system has rapidly declined over the last few years and is currently one of the weakest in the sport. Guys like Trey Yesavage and Arjun Nimmala almost certainly wouldn't be in the return if Helsley is the lone Cardinal going north. Former top prospect Ricky Tiedemann will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Guys like Adam Macko and Khal Stephen are interesting arms that could intrigue the Cardinals but may not move the needle enough for them to make the deal.

The Arizona Diamondbacks improved their record in 2024, finishing 89-73, yet missed the playoffs in the loaded National League. Paul Sewald entered the year as their closer but got demoted due to poor performance. Ryan Helsley could step in and deepen that bullpen that has recently added talent like AJ Puk and Justin Martinez.

With Christian Walker and Joc Pederson having already left via free agency, the Diamondbacks may take the same approach as the Yankees have - upgrade the pitching to hedge the losses on offense. Guys like Justin Martinez, Kevin Ginkel, and even AJ Puk are capable of closing games, but the chance to add an elite arm like Helsley is intriguing to any team.

Arizona's farm is a big step up from Toronto's so there may be more intrigue on the Cardinals' end. Guys like Yu-Min Lin, Christian Mena, Yilber Diaz, and Landon Sims are intriguing arms to add to the youth movement the Cardinals are heading towards. Jansel Luis is a switch-hitting teenager who has shown flashes in the low levels of affiliated ball. He'll need to add more power into his game but he still has plenty of time to do so. Luis may be my favorite bat to target from Arizona's system that they'd be willing to move.

Though the Cardinals have been adamant that they intend to hold onto Ryan Helsley, they may be met with offers that are too good to pass on. As the offseason continues to unfold and free agent relievers start to fly off the board, we'll start to see more clarity in Helsley's market overall.