Yankees ‘In Play’ to Trade for League-Leading All-Star Pitcher: Ex-MLB GM

Getty Yankees potential trade target Ryan Helsley

It’s not a bad position the Yankees find themselves in here in late May, leading the American League East at 37-19, the third-best record in all of baseball. The offense has hummed, producing 269 runs, the fifth-most in baseball, leading the way in home runs (82), on-base percentage (.334) and slugging (.436). The pitching has been lights-out, with a league-best 2.80 ERA, a .212 batting average allowed (also tops in baseball) and four out of five starters with ERAs below 3.00.

Oh, and Gerrit Cole has yet to pitch as he works his way back from an arm injury.

When trying to find holes in the roster, you’ve really got to squint. But the Yankees, like all teams in baseball, could use an upgrade in one area in particular: the bullpen, which did blow a late lead to the Angels on Tuesday.

Generally, though, the relief unit has been good—a 3.00 ERA and a 1.164 WHIP—just that it’s always useful to have as many top-shelf arms as possible.

With that in mind, former GM Jim Bowden picked out the Yankees as one of the three teams he expected to get involved in a potential deadline trade for star Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley.

Ryan Helsley Could Be on the Market for the Cardinals

Bowden was asked during a mailbag last week what kind of return the Cardinals could expect for Helsley, who was an All-Star in 2022, when he went 9-1 with a 1.25 ERA. He described a package the Yankees could very much afford to put together, though he cited potential competition from contenders like the Orioles and Dodgers.

“They’ll be able to get a young, everyday position player prospect or rookie major-league position player who could start now or a middle-of-the-rotation pitching prospect, along with two mid- or lower-level type prospects. Expect the Orioles, Yankees and Dodgers to all be in play here,” Bowden wrote.

That’s not to say that the Cardinals, still very much alive in the N.L. Central, will go into seller mode. But with Helsley off to a great start and heading into free agency this offseason, it’s a distinct possibility.

Helsley missed much of 2023 with a forearm injury, going out in early June and retuning to start September. He has come roaring back in 2024, filling the traditional closer’s role with a league-high 22 games finished and 17 saves. He has recorded 25 strikeouts and just four walks in 25.0 innings pitched.

Yankees Could Form Imposing 8th-9th Combo

As it stands, the Yankees have a closer on hand, veteran Clay Holmes, who leads the team with 19 games finished and 15 saves, and has a 1.54 ERA. It’s a terrific start for a player who has been the de facto closer for the Yankees for the last three seasons.

Helsley and Holmes could make an imposing eighth inning/ninth inning combo, no matter which one handled closing duties.

Helsley could handle that, he said. He was asked this month whether he handles games differently if he comes in during earlier innings.

“I try not to have that,” Helsley said about approaching innings differently. “Whatever inning I am coming in, I’m trying to throw up a zero and trying to help the team win. I think that you can make the moment bigger than it needs to be and put too much pressure on yourself. So I think you just go out there and just try to enjoy the moment and have fun.”