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The New York Yankees trading for Devin Williams was one of the top moves of the offseason. The right-hander, a two-time Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winner, is arguably the best closer in Major League Baseball. But while the Yankees have their bullpen figured out, there’s always room for more pitching.
Zach Pressnell of Newsweek believes so, too, pitching a trade idea that would see the Yankees move Marcus Stroman and Chase Hampton to the St. Louis Cardinals for Miles Mikolas and Ryan Helsley.
“There are multiple wrinkles to this deal. First, let’s look at the swap of Miles Mikolas for Stroman. Mikolas would head to the Bronx and get cut. The Yankees could eat the rest of his contract while the Cardinals take on Stroman, who has a vesting option in 2026. This takes a year of financial stress off the Yankees while giving the Cardinals a better pitcher. The other half of the trade is the Cardinals’ closer for the Yankees sixth-ranked prospect Chase Hampton.
“Hampton, 23, has multiple dominant pitches that allow him to beat hitters in a lot of different ways. He’s been dominant in his professional career and projects as a front-end-of-the-rotation starter down the line. Adding Helsley would be a luxury add for the Yankees. They don’t need another closer. Manager Aaron Boone already has Devin Williams in that role, but adding Helsley would form one of the nastiest backend duos in MLB history,” Pressnell wrote on December 27.
Would the Cardinals Accept That Deal?
It’s tough to get a feel for what the St. Louis Cardinals plan to do in 2025. John Denton of MLB.com reported in October that the Cardinals want to cut payroll, so them moving anyone can’t be counted out just yet.
However, while the Cardinals would like to lower their payroll, trading Helsley for Stroman and the New York Yankees No. 6 prospect wouldn’t make much sense. At worst, the Cardinals could wait until the trade deadline and find a desperate team to send a few of their top prospects for Helsley.
According to Denton, the Cardinals right-hander could return to the Cardinals in 2025 as they look to find a trade partner.
“Helsley, 30, earned a franchise-record 49 saves in 2024, and any team with him would be better off with his 100 mph fastball. However, he can become a free agent after the 2025 season, and another All-Star campaign could help him command a $100 million contract, just as Edwin Díaz and Josh Hader did in recent offseasons.
“Helsley’s trade value, which likely will never be higher than it is now, took a bit of a hit when the Yankees dealt for Devin Williams and the Phillies signed free-agent closer Jordan Romano. Helsley, the longest-tenured player on the Cardinals, could be back in St. Louis for 2025, or the Cards could simply be waiting for a trade partner to sweeten its offer,” Denton wrote on December 26.
Why the Yankees Would Make This Deal
Despite already having Williams, a 1-2 punch of him and Helsley would give the New York Yankees the best bullpen duo in Major League Baseball.
If the Yankees could trade Stroman for even half of the player Helsley is, they likely would’ve already done it. From the Yankees’ perspective, this is an easy deal to make, even if Helsley moves on when his free agency comes around in 2026.