Cardinals All-Star Flamethrower Named As Fit For Royals In Possible Blockbuster

Would this make the Kansas City bullpen unhittable?

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

All of a sudden, the Kansas City Royals seem to be on the precipice of becoming a dominant team in the American League.

Having ousted the Baltimore Orioles from the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs, the Royals are one of just four teams left with a shot at the AL pennant. But they could be even more dominant in future seasons, as most of their core is locked in place for the long haul.

With superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., cornerstone catcher Salvador Perez, and a deep and talented starting rotation, the Royals have a lot of things going for them. If one roster area could use an upgrade, though, the bullpen stands out.

The Royals acquired former Oakland Athletics reliever Lucas Erceg at the trade deadline, and he's been their saving grace in the closer role ever since. But to solidify their bullpen, the Royals could look to bring in a more established closer for the 2025 campaign.

On Friday, Michael Carpenter of FanSided named the Royals as a fit for St. Louis Cardinals All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, who looks to be a prime trade candidate with one year remaining on his contract and the Cardinals facing a rebuild.

"The other team in Missouri is in the middle of a postseason run but it's never too early to look forward to next season," Carpenter said. "Relief pitcher Lucas Erceg has done a solid job since taking over the closer duties, but acquiring Helsley and allowing Erceg to drop back to setup would give them a special combo at the backend of their bullpen."

The Cardinals may have had a disappointing season, but Helsley certainly wasn't part of the problem. He led the majors with 49 saves, only blowing four, and pitched to a 2.04 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings pitched. His 99.6 mile-per-hour average fastball velocity ranked in the 99th percentile of all MLB pitchers.

In return for Helsley, Carpenter proposed the Royals would give up left-handed pitcher David Shields (KC's No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), infielder Austin Charles (No. 14), and right-handed pitcher L.P. Langevin (No. 24). Three prospects for one reliever is a steep price, but none of the three are regarded as sure things.

If beefing up the bullpen is the Royals' objective this winter, it's hard to imagine a better fit than Helsley. The question at this stage is whether the Royals will choose to focus their efforts elsewhere, and whether the bidding war will be too steep for Helsley's services.

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