Fan favorite departs Cardinals in significant trade deal during deadline
St. Louis Cardinals Trade Star Closer Ryan Helsley to New York Mets
In a significant move on July 31, 2025, the St. Louis Cardinals traded their star closer, Ryan Helsley, to the New York Mets. Helsley, a two-time All-Star and the Cardinals' all-time saves leader, is now set to serve primarily as a setup man for the Mets' closer, Edwin Díaz.
The trade marked the end of Helsley's tenure with the Cardinals after many seasons. In return, the Cardinals received three Minor League prospects: shortstop Jesus Baez, and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.
At the time of the trade, Helsley had recorded 21 saves for the Cardinals in the 2025 season, maintaining a 3.00 ERA. His performance this season has been impressive, with 10.3 SO/9.
The trade reflects the Cardinals' shift towards rebuilding and focusing on future seasons under new leadership. The Mets, on the other hand, bolstered their bullpen through this acquisition, addressing the multiple injuries and underperformance in their relief corps earlier in the season.
Ryan Helsley's potential return to the Cardinals is contingent upon the team addressing their starting pitching needs. However, a potential reunion between Helsley and the Cardinals could be a dream scenario for the team, as it could help the Cardinals grow their farm system with prospects and potentially bring back Helsley for the 2026 season.
Jesus Baez, the 8th-ranked prospect in the Mets' system, and Nate Dohm, the 14th-ranked prospect, are expected to join the Cardinals' farm system. Frank Elissalt, who is also a part of the trade deal, is also a prospect in the Mets' system.
The news of Emmanuel Clase's investigation increased the demand for quality relief pitching in MLB, making this trade a blockbuster trade deadline deal.
As of now, there are no recent updates indicating a potential return of Ryan Helsley to the St. Louis Cardinals after this trade. Helsley is expected to contribute to the Mets bullpen for the remainder of the 2025 season.
References: [1] Derrick Goold, "Ryan Helsley would be open to resigning with the Cardinals if traded," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 31, 2025. [2] MLB Trade Rumors, "Cardinals Acquire Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm, and Frank Elissalt from Mets for Ryan Helsley," July 31, 2025. [3] MLB Pipeline, "Jesus Baez and Nate Dohm are prospects in the Mets' system," July 31, 2025.
In light of the trade, Ryan Helsley, a renowned baseball player known for his past stellar performances with the St. Louis Cardinals, will now pitch for the New York Mets' baseball team. Helsley's new role with the Mets is as a setup man for their closer, Edwin Díaz. This trade, which occurred on July 31, 2025, saw the Cardinals receive three Minor League prospects: shortstop Jesus Baez, and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt, in return.
