Beloved Cardinals Hurler Linked To Blockbuster Trade With Braves, Per Insider

St. Louis is preparing to deal away one of its best pitchers

Aug 25, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Atlanta Braves hat and glove in the dugout before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will face several painful decisions this winter after the front office recently committed to rebuilding the franchise.

Lowering the payroll will be one of Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak's top priorities in his final offseason as head honcho for St. Louis.

Sadly, it's looking like a fan favorite won't return to Busch Stadium as a member of the Cardinals in 2025. It's possible he could join the National League East-rival Atlanta Braves in a blockbuster trade.

"Our next bold prediction has (Devin) Williams and (Ryan) Helsley being traded to NL East rivals," CBS Sports' Mike Axisa wrote Friday when discussing his predictions for this offseason. "Williams lands with the (Philadelphia) Phillies, Helsley with the Braves."

Despite setting the single-season franchise record with 49 saves in 2024, the Cardinals are headed in a direction that likely doesn't include Helsley, whose talent might be wasted with the rebuilding St. Louis franchise.

"The Cardinals are in something of a tactical retreat," Axisa continued. "They're calling it a reset rather than a rebuild and the last thing a resetting team needs is a pricey closer inching toward free agency. That makes Ryan Helsley a prime trade candidate."

It's upsetting that the Cardinals will likely trade a homegrown fireballer who has emerged as one of the most elite closers in baseball due to the organization's unfortunate circumstances.

If St. Louis were in a better position to compete in 2025, then re-signing Helsley and holding onto him for another season would make sense. However, with the Cardinals seemingly positioned for a long playoff drought, they might as well get as much value out of him as they can via trade.

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