ST. LOUIS – Two days before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, the St. Louis Cardinals sit just two games above .500, with two former All-Stars who could be at the center of trade talks as teams scramble to get deals done.
MLB’s 2025 trade deadline, the last possible date teams can make major-league level trades for the ongoing season, is officially set for 5 p.m. CT Thursday.
The clock is ticking, and the Cardinals aren’t necessarily in position to make a major push as buyers. They could pivot to the seller’s market, softly or aggressively, by trading pending free agents for value or moving players who currently create logjams at the big-league level.
That also presents some tough decisions on longtime fan favorites Ryan Helsley and Nolan Arenado. It’s possible one, both, or neither could be on the move in the coming days.
Ryan Helsley
Let’s start with Helsley. At 31 years old, Helsley has emerged as one of baseball’s most reliable closers in recent years (103 saves since 2022), but with free agency looming at the season’s end, his future in St. Louis is uncertain. Add in the fact that bullpen arms can be tricky to lock up long-term due to the ever-changing nature of relief pitching, Helsley is, at minimum, a prime trade candidate.
Several contenders could use bullpen help, whether as a closer or high-leverage setup option. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays are all contenders that could use a bullpen boost and stand to benefit from Helsley’s heat, very capable of reaching triple digits.
If the Cardinals decide to move Helsley, the key will be finding the best return. The Dodgers and Phillies, for instance, might be willing to part with a younger arm or prospect who could push for a rotation spot in a Cardinals system without clear long-term depth. Others might offer arms that project more as bullpen pieces, perhaps a younger version of Helsley himself. A trade might include one or two prospects with MLB experience or on the cusp of the majors.
In a recent report from The Athletic’s Katie Woo, Helsley said he believes there’s a “90% chance” he’ll be traded, though he also expressed a desire to stay in St. Louis. If the Cardinals don’t deal Helsley, they could extend him to a one-year qualifying offer this offseason (netting a draft pick if he walks) or possibly pursue a shorter multi-year extension, though with the front office transition looming, neither is a guarantee.
Nolan Arenado
Arenado’s case is far more complicated. The eight-time All Star third baseman, now 34 years old, was the subject of trade talks last offseason when the Cardinals looked to lean into a youth-driven roster. A trade never fully materialized, and one potential deal reportedly fell through after Arenado used his no-trade clause to block it.
Arenado opted to stay with the Cardinals, and he still seems a respected presence in the clubhouse among younger teammates. That said, his role has shifted a bit: He’s been bumped down in the batting order, he’s dealt with some minor injuries and his offensive production has dipped compared to previous seasons with the Cardinals.
It’s unclear how the Cardinals would handle third base, immediately or in the long-term, without Arenado, currently on contract through 2027. But the team’s top prospect J.J. Wetherholt is rising quickly and could eventually force some tough decisions for the Cardinals infield overall, somewhat complicating matters.
The primary third base target for the trade deadline has long been thought to be Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he took a hit by pitch to the wrist on Monday, so his status is now a little bit murky. Arenado offers similar veteran experience with less raw power. The New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros are contenders very much in need of hot corner help.
If Arenado is traded, whether more for prospects or as a contract dump, there is one major hurdle: He still carries a full no-trade clause, so he can block any deal to any team for any reason, meaning both the Cardinals and potential suitors would need his full buy-in.
At the moment, there doesn’t appear to be any publicly-documented renewed trade talks involving Arenado, but his situation bears watching. Just last week, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak told MLB.com’s John Denton last week that he planned to talk to Arenado on various things ahead of the deadline, though whether that means for Arenado’s future in St. Louis is anyone’s guess.
What else?
Along with Helsley, two names likely to be explore on the trade front for the Cardinals are veteran bullpen pieces and pending free agents Phil Maton and Steven Matz. Both could appeal to contenders seeking bullpen depth down the stretch.
Veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas, also on an expiring deal, may generate some interest, but like Arenado, he also has a full no-trade clause. That said, demand could be low given Mikolas is a pitch-to-contact arm and putting together one of his roughest seasons to date.
The Cardinals have an influx of MLB-ready catchers (Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo) and talented catchers in the system (Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal). While a trade from this group could make sense, there’s no indication the Cardinals are actually pursuing such a move.
Elsewhere, for what it’s worth, logjams at both infield and outfield spots have limited opportunities for young players at times, most notably Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar. The Cardinals haven’t shown any obvious signs they would be willing to move a controllable big-league bat, but if a future-focused deal emerges, it’s not necessarily out of question that a surprise move of this nature could come together.
In a matter of days, the Cardinals could look anywhere from almost unchanged to slightly different. Exactly how different? That’s the deadline mystery waiting to unfold.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
