Cardinals Could Look Into Rangers $6 Million Closer If Ryan Helsley Is Dealt

The Cardinals may need a new closer.

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have made it clear that they will not be attempting to put together the best possible roster for 2025. Instead, they will be doing a "reset" that may involve them trading some players.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado is as good as gone, and while the Cardinals look as though they want to hold on to All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, a trade is not out of the realm of possibility.

Assuming that St. Louis ends up trading the hard-throwing right-hander, they might need to dive into the free agent market for another closer. Perhaps right-hander Kirby Yates could be a fit.

"In his 20s, Yates was a fringe Major League reliever who’d gone undrafted out of college. In his 30s, he’s been a closer and two-time All-Star, and at 37, he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Pushed into ninth-inning duty after José Leclerc struggled out of the gate, Yates finished with 33 saves and a career-best 1.17 ERA with the Rangers. He was an All-Star and finished behind only Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase in Win Probability Added," The Athletic wrote.

"Walks come with the territory, but so do strikeouts as Yates generates plenty of swing and miss without extreme velocity. He turns 38 in March, so there will be some age concern, but when healthy, Yates has been a reliable late-inning arm with plenty of ninth-inning experience."

Yates shouldn't be too expensive, which means that even though the Cardinals are cutting payroll, they should be able to afford him if they want some experience in the ninth inning with Helsley potentially gone.

The 37-year-old right-hander went 7-2 in 61 appearances with the Texas Rangers, posting a 1.71 ERA and saving 33 games. He also averaged 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

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