4 trade packages that could entice the Cardinals to move Ryan Helsley this offseason

With rumors swirling of payroll cuts, what return would closer Ryan Helsley fetch if traded this offseason? With plenty of teams likely to be interested, he would surely be a hot name on the market if shopped.

St. Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants
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Boston Red Sox

With Chaim Bloom taking over, the former chief baseball officer for the Red Sox, he has vast knowledge of their farm system and should be able to maximize the return from them if they made a deal. With numerous players, he drafted and signed in their top 30 as well as being trade partners in the past they could be an easy team to strike a deal with.

Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen is a free agent this offseason and it looks like he will not be returning to the Red Sox in 2025, adding Helsley to their bullpen would be a big piece for them to make a run at the American League East crown next season. In return for Helsley, I have the Red Sox sending their number 9, 17, and 26th-ranked prospects to the Cardinals.

The first piece would be RHP Luis Perales, the 21-year-old right-hander is coming off of Tommy John surgery and will likely miss most of the 2025 season. Before his injury, he was over-powering hitters with his mid-90s fastball that topped out at 99mph and a mid-80s slider. While he has lacked consistency with his secondary pitches and his changeup left much to be desired, he has mid-rotation upside if he can stay healthy or could be the future replacement for Helsley himself at the backend of the Cardinals bullpen.

RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz is another potential mid-rotation starter the Cardinals could target, with a fastball sitting at 94-96 that tops out at 98 mph the 21-year-old possesses four pitches including a slider, curveball, and a newly-developed splitter. Standing at 6-foot-3, he gets great extension on his pitches, if he can hone in his control he should be a solid piece for the major league rotation in the future. He will likely start next season at Double-A but could rise quickly if he shows improvement in his mechanics.

The third and final piece of the deal would be corner infielder Blaze Jordan, with raw power going back to his high school days when he won the High School Home Run Derby at the 2019 All-Star Game he has yet to fully tap into the power at the professional level. Jordan hit 18 home runs in 2023 but only had seven this season after missing a significant chunk of games due to an injury. While he is likely to end up at first base due to his lack of range at third base, Jordan is still only 21 years old and will have time to unlock his power as he moves through the minors.

Red Sox trade: RHP Luis Perales, RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and 3B/1B Blaze Jordan
Cardinals trade: RHP Ryan Helsley

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