Huge Announcement: Cardinals Closing in on Deal With Dodgers In One-For-One Blockbuster Trade Scenario

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching staff is once again the most injured unit in Major League Baseball.

It’s not just the starters, who have been the biggest names the Dodgers have lost this season. Los Angeles has an army of high-leverage relievers on the shelf, and it’s uncertain who they can expect to be healthy come playoff time.

That’s why, assuming the Dodgers are once again aggressive at the trade deadline, a high-leverage reliever would likely be high on LA’s list of priorities.

One baseball writer thinks the St. Louis Cardinals could provide the perfect fit for this Dodgers team.

On Monday, Zach Pressnell of Cardinals on SI named St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley, a two-time All-Star and impending free agent, as the ideal trade target for the Dodgers ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.

“Los Angeles should go get Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and it shouldn’t wait any longer to do so,” Pressnell wrote.

“Helsley has made sense as a fit for the Dodgers for months now, but no deal has come to fruition. As the days go by, the Dodgers lose more and more pitchers to the injured list. With each arm that goes down, the need for another closer becomes more apparent.”

Helsley, the 2024 National League Reliever of the Year, hasn’t been his usual dominant self this season. He’s got a 3.96 ERA and has saved only 13 of 18 chances. But he’s still pumping 100 miles per hour and would be a terrific setup man for a contender if he can’t pitch well enough to remain a lockdown closer.

Whether a deal can be done before the deadline is up for debate, because teams usually get the best return when they have multiple bidders competing with each other. But Helsley seems likely to move, and the Dodgers are certainly one strong contender.