Ryan Helsley's disastrous performance may open the door for a Cardinals reunion

It's no secret that former Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley has struggled mightily ever since he was shipped off to the New York Mets at the 2025 trade deadline. And today, his struggles in Queens have gone from bad to worse. In a critical matchup against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers, Helsley was brought into a one-run deficit in the 7th inning to limit the damage. However, after allowing a weakly hit single to Colt Keith and walking Gleyber Torres on a full count, Helsley all but guaranteed a Mets loss after allowing a 1-0 homer to Kerry Carpenter, who extended the Tigers' lead to four runs.

Helsley has seen his Mets ERA balloon to an unthinkable 11.45 in just 14 appearances, and his season ERA increased to 4.98 after leaving St. Louis with a 3.00. After making a series of moves to bolster the bullpen at the trade deadline, acquiring both Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers to supplement All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, the Mets may still be in trouble with Helsley's unprecedented struggles.

From the Cardinals' perspective, a trade package that was criticized by many at the deadline now looks like an absolute steal, as they received three young, high-upside prospects for a rental reliever who's been unplayable thus far. Moreover, it opens the door to a potential reunion with St. Louis this offseason, and almost certainly at a heavy discount.

Helsley, who was the longest tenured Cardinals player prior to the trade deadline, expressed interest in resigning with St. Louis in the offseason. At the time of the trade, a Helsley reunion seemed impractical for a Cardinals team still in "rebuild" mode going into 2026. After all, adding an expensive reliever on a multi-year contract would not be an effective use of assets for a club with minimal expectations for next season. Now, however, Helsley looks like a perfect buy-low candidate who will likely have to settle for a much cheaper and shorter-term contract to rebuild his once sky-high value.

It's a logical fit for both Helsley and the Cardinals, who took a chance on Phil Maton last offseason, who ended up being one of their strongest relievers prior to his trade to Texas. Many have speculated that Helsley's usage as a pure 9th inning closer in St. Louis has contributed to his struggles in New York as well, so perhaps a return to familiarity and 9th inning action will help the former NL Reliever of the Year return to form.