Cardinals Would Benefit 'Awfully Well' If Pair Of High-Leverage Hurlers Traded

St. Louis could unload some serious talent this summer

Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have been on a roll the past few weeks and it's too early to tell whether they will sell or buy at this summer's trade deadline.

If the Cardinals decide to unload talent and invest in the future of the organization, key players such as Sonny Gray and impending free agent Paul Goldschmidt have been mentioned as possible options.

Recent speculations also refer to a pair of dominant relievers as logical trade candidates for St. Louis to cash in on the trade market this summer.

"The Cardinals would do awfully well if they made relievers Ryan Helsey (controlled through the end of 2025) or JoJo Romero (2026) available," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote Tuesday when discussing possible trade scenarios for St. Louis at the deadline.

Both Helsley and Romero have been dominant from the mound this season and contending teams have been keeping a close eye on them as potential bullpen bolstering opportunities.

Helsley is being looked at by multiple playoff contenders and would likely generate a solid haul of top prospects for the Cardinals if they decide to deal him away.

The flamethrower is having one of the best seasons of his career -- posting a 2-2 record with a 2.42 ERA, 27-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .237 batting average against, a 1.12 WHIP and a league-high 19 saves in 26 innings pitched.

Romero has been linked to the New York Yankees in recent weeks as they will likely be looking to add a high-leverage reliever to their bullpen before July 30.

The 27-year-old has posted a 2-1 record with a 2.10 ERA, 30-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .206 batting average against and a 0.87 WHIP in 30 innings pitched.

Trading Helsley or Romero away would be a massive blow to the Cardinals bullpen -- which has arguably been the most vital piece of this season's roster.

If the Cardinals continue to win and establish themselves as genuine postseason contenders, we might not have to see either stud pitch for other teams this year. Only time will tell whether St. Louis sells or buys this summer.

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