With the July 31 trade deadline, the St. Louis Cardinals have been the subject of rumors all season long. But the team is doing rather well; in the NL Central, St. Louis is only five games behind the Chicago Cubs, who are in first place. One of the team’s All-Stars is reportedly interested in discussing a new deal with the franchise amid the trade speculations.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Ryan Helsley, the closer for the Cardinals, is prepared to discuss a new contract. Although there have been suggestions that St. Louis would sell the 30-year-old star, the front staff may decide to re-sign him for the long run given how well the club is performing.
“This set of questions has a lot of information in it,” Goold stated. “Let’s attempt to address each one individually. 1) They weren’t at the last check, but it doesn’t indicate the ship has gone by. As long as Helsley is receptive to that dialogue, there is a chance that the team will participate in the discussions. 2) Since the highest-paid reliever now makes around $20 million, and since Helsley is expected to earn more than $16 million, modify the offer to reflect a 4-, 5-, or 5-year contract.
After this season, Helsley is presently scheduled to become a free agent. It is anticipated that several clubs in the league will pay close attention to him if he does. Assuming they can maintain their position at the top of the rankings, the Cardinals are now in the running for a possible postseason berth. However, it appears like St. Louis is considering losing a top closer like Helsley without receiving anything in return.
On the mound for the Cardinals, Ryan Helsley is having yet another outstanding season. He has had 23 strikeouts and 13 saves in 21.0 innings pitched, with a 3.00 ERA and 1.429 WHIP.
