The Mets got Ryan Helsley and the Cardinals got Prospects
Earlier this season, the St. Louis Cardinals shipped Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets in a trade deadline deal that looked, at first, like a modest return for St. Louis. Helsley was an All-Star, throwing triple-digit heat, and the Mets believed they were adding a difference-maker for the stretch run. Instead, it’s looking like the Cardinals may have moved him at just the right time.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer recently regraded the deal and pointed out just how far Helsley has fallen since landing in New York. After giving up only one run over his final 11 outings with the Cardinals, he’s been a disaster with the Mets. In 14 appearances, Helsley has been tagged for 14 earned runs across just 11 innings, surrendering 19 hits and eight walks along the way earning an ERA over 11 for the Mets. On August 18th I asked how much higher his ERA could go when it was sitting just above 8. The meltdown has gotten so bad that “Ryan Helsley DFA” actually trended on X this week.
The Prospects haven’t been Great, but Helsley’s been awful
The Cardinals’ side of the trade hasn’t looked like a heist either — prospects Jesús Baez, Nate Dohm, and Frank Elissalt haven’t made much noise yet. Baez’s bat has cooled off significantly since the move, and Dohm has struggled to a 5.11 ERA at High-A. Still, with two of the three ranking inside St. Louis’ top 30 prospects, there’s time for the deal to even out.
The difference is timing. Helsley’s value has cratered since the trade, and St. Louis managed to offload him before his struggles sank his market entirely. For the Mets, his blown outings have piled up at the worst possible moment in their playoff chase. If Helsley had simply been average, New York would be in a stronger spot today. Instead, the Cardinals might have come out of this swap smelling like roses
If you’re a Cardinal fan, with Helsley openly stating he wouldn’t mind resigning with the Cardinals for 2026, would you want him back?
