Cardinals Homegrown 2-Time All-Star May Stay In St. Louis, Per Insider

The Cardinals may not swing a blockbuster deal with the All-Star after all

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been in a lot of trade rumors already this offseason but maybe one of the team's biggest stars will stick around after all.

There has been a lot of speculation about the future of All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. He racked up an impressive 49 saves last year and is in line to make an estimated $8.1 million in 2025 in his final year before free agency.

Will he stick around with the team for the foreseeable future? Initially, there was a lot of talk that he could be traded this offseason. That may not end up being the case, though. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reported that the team appears "less and less inclined" to make a move involving him.

"An offseason that began with a spyglass toward the future has become a needle the Cardinals intend to thread: Officials with the club and sources with other teams or agents who have spoken to the Cardinals describe a team that isn’t 'tearing down' a year before Chaim Bloom takes over as president of baseball operations," Goold said. "They’ll talk trades but appear less and less inclined, according to sources, to trade closer Ryan Helsley — a high-value chip if the Cardinals did decide to withdraw into a rebuild. They’re going young but not bowing out."

That would be great for the Cardinals' chances in 2025. Clearly, he is one of the best closers in baseball and St. Louis had one of the best bullpens in 2024. The National League Central division seems vulnerable -- especially with Willy Adames leaving the Milwaukee Brewers -- so maybe the Cardinals could make a run at the top spot.

Keeping Helsley around would help with that.

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