Sort Of Limbo: St. Louis Cardinals’ All-Star Closer Concerned With Uncertainty Approaching Deadline

After a dominant season in which Ryan Helsley was arguably the best closer in baseball, he’s had a more difficult time in 2025. Still, the St. Louis Cardinals aren’t worried about their All-Star reliever’s early struggles. Helsley has said he’s been feeling good lately and continues to stay positive.

Helsley’s Recent Struggles

The hard-throwing righty has posted nearly identical results in his last four appearances: two hits and one earned run in each, with home runs allowed in his most recent two. He began June with three straight blown saves.

 

 

Still, not all the damage was on him. In one outing against the Dodgers, a slow roller hit second base and turned into an infield single, eventually leading to a run. Despite the blown save, Helsley picked up the win thanks to a walk-off hit by Nolan Arenado. Throughout the slump, Helsley has stayed composed.

“I’ve felt good the last few weeks,” Helsley said after his third consecutive blown save on June 9 against the Blue Jays. “The results haven’t been great, but that’s just part of the game sometimes. I’ll keep working, keep going after it.”

Improving Mechanics from the Start of the Season

Ryan Helsley didn’t feel quite right coming out of Spring Training. He dealt with toe discomfort that required a plate to be added to his shoe, which he said disrupted his mechanics. That translated into early-season struggles, as he posted a 4.09 ERA over his first 11 appearances.

But the 30-year-old made adjustments with the help of team trainers and turned things around in May, notching nine saves and a win while briefly bringing his ERA below 3.00.

 

 

“Something wasn’t right, and we addressed it,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said after a June 9 loss. “We got to a place where we liked the shape of his pitches, how he was attacking hitters, and the action on his fastball. There’s a clear difference between the early-season version of \[Helsley] and what we’ve seen since.”

Despite some recent blown saves, Helsley insists he still feels as strong as he did during his dominant May stretch. He’s keeping his focus on preparation rather than dwelling on outcomes.

“I try not to let it get to me or lose my composure,” Helsley said following his third blown save in June. “I just stay levelheaded and make sure I’m ready whenever I’m called on.”

What Pitch Tracking Analytics Show

Ryan Helsley still features one of the league’s hardest fastballs, averaging 99.1 mph and regularly touching 100 mph. He ranks in the top two percent for velocity, but the pitch hasn’t been as effective this season. Per Baseball Savant, his fastball has a run value of -6 in 2025, a drop from +3 in 2024.

Helsley’s success typically comes from pairing his overpowering fastball with a sharp slider, which he uses alongside the heater over 90% of the time. His slider remains effective, posting a run value of +6 this year, though that’s down from +13 last season. He still ranks among the top 15% of MLB pitchers in off-speed run value and is in the top 12% for chase rate at 32.8%.

 

 

While his velocity has dipped slightly—less than one mph on both pitches—the vertical movement has stayed consistent. The bigger change is in horizontal movement: his fastball is breaking 1.3 inches less and his slider 0.3 inches less compared to 2024. That reduced horizontal action, particularly on the fastball, may be a key factor in hitters having more success against him, especially considering his early-season struggles.

Helsley Stays Calm Through Ups and Downs

Ryan Helsley is coming off a standout 2024 campaign in which he led the league with 49 saves, set a new franchise record, earned All-Star honors, and was named the National League’s Closer of the Year. He posted an impressive 2.04 ERA during that season. This year, however, he’s faced more challenges—holding a 3.96 ERA with 13 saves so far. Still, his past accomplishments have helped him stay composed through a rocky start.

“Try to see the positives in everything and just take it one day at a time,” Helsley said following a blown save against the Blue Jays. “Honestly that’s all I can do.”

 

 

Now in his seventh MLB season, Helsley has embraced a steady, composed mindset regardless of outcomes. Cardinals starter Andre Pallante praised Helsley’s consistency, noting how the closer’s demeanor never wavers.

“I’ve watched him for the past four years, and he’s always the same—whether he’s had a great outing or a tough one,” Pallante told MLB.com’s John Denton. “He’s got the mentality every closer needs. We support him, but he doesn’t rely on it—he knows exactly what he has to do to succeed.”

Uncertainty With Approaching Deadline

The Cardinals find themselves in a bit of a gray area as the trade deadline approaches. While they’re in the playoff hunt after posting the best record in MLB during May, they’re also prioritizing the development of younger talent and building for the future.

Closer Ryan Helsley is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and is expected to receive significant offers. That could push the Cardinals to consider trading him for prospects at the deadline—especially if they don’t plan to compete financially to re-sign him this winter.

Trade rumors around Helsley began last offseason. Although he’s expressed a desire to stay in St. Louis, he recognizes the business side of baseball.

“If I get traded, I hope it’s to a team I can help win with,” Helsley told Denton. “It would be an emotional day since I grew up a Cardinals fan, was drafted by them in 2015, and have spent 10 years with the organization. But if it happens, I’ll have to be professional and move forward.”