LA Dreaming: Dodgers Swing Blockbuster Trade for Cardinals $8 Million All-Star
Do the Los Angeles Dodgers have one more offseason surprise in them?
After winning their second World Series of the decade, the Dodgers almost have the perfect roster. They could start the season tomorrow and be heavy favorites to win it all, and there’s no rule that says they have to keep adding talent.
Yet in the wake of the Teoscar Hernández reunion, that’s exactly what the Dodgers should be expected to do. They could still use more live arms in their bullpen, especially because Blake Treinen is getting up there in years, and they lacked a true closer last season.
There’s one closer who certainly should be available in trades, though his team may wait to deal him until the trade deadline. Either way, the Dodgers can afford to wait the St. Louis Cardinals out, and they have the prospect capital to land Ryan Helsley.
Helsley is a two-time National League All-Star, the 2024 Major League Baseball saves leader, and the defending NL Reliever of the Year. He pitched to a 2.04 ERA this past season and struck out 79 batters in 66 1/3 innings.
With the Cardinals heading for a mini-rebuild and Helsley heading to free agency in a year, it makes little sense for St. Louis to hang onto the fireballer. Here, then, is a trade that might net the Dodgers Helsley to lock down games.
Dodgers receive: RHP Ryan Helsley
Cardinals receive: SS Joendry Vargas (Dodgers, No. 7 prospect), RHP Nick Frasso (No. 12)
Helsley is projected to make just $8 million in his final year of arbitration, and there’s always the possibility that the Dodgers could consider extending him. Meanwhile, the Cardinals would love to get back a young arm with the potential to become a big-league starter.
Would both sides benefit from this deal? That’s a question best answered by Andrew Friedman and John Mozielak in the front offices.
