The Philadelphia Phillies have a newfound appreciation for a good bullpen recently after the disastrous start they've gotten off to in 2025. Some new faces were brought in to replace production, but all that's been done is mask the issue of a less-talented rendition of last year.
The idea of running the current bullpen setup all year seems absurd at this point, and the calendar is still in April. This is a Phillies team that has won 90-plus games the last two years, including a division title in 2024, and needs help or a change of some magnitude to alter the identity of late inning games. It's never too early to talk trades, and the Phillies already have one in their scopes in St. Louis Cardinals star closer Ryan Helsley.
Phillies Rumors: Cardinals' star closer garnering early interest on trade market
Helsley, now 30 years old, has been the Cardinals' closer since he came into the big leagues in 2019. In the final year of arbitration, Helsley will be a major target for teams as the Cardinals will most likely deal him by this year's trade deadline on July 31, and the Phillies are one of the teams already "keeping a close eye on" him, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The Cardinals have been looking to shed payroll in recent years and the timing will be perfect for the Phillies to pounce on a possible deal after the reported interest.
The Phillies have the prospect capital to get a deal done. They're well stockpiled after frustrating fans with a lack of blockbuster trades that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had been typically known for. If Helsley is brought in, it will give the Phillies a chance to flush out the high-leverage relief that they've really struggled with.
The main concern right now with the limited names to count on is it leaves guys like José Alvarado, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering doing the heavy lifting night after night (subscription required), per Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
Helsley is a two-time All-Star and has finished top-12 in Cy Young voting twice in the past three seasons. From 2022-24, he had a 1.83 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with a 34.6 percent strikeout rate while saving 82 games in 95 chances. He could slide right into the closer role and allow Phillies manager Rob Thomson to ride the hot hand against lethal lineups, like he did with Jeff Hoffman.
The Phillies' roster has shown cracks, but the bullpen has been the area where the floodgates have opened far too many times in this young season, per Brooke Destra of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Helsley gives the Phillies stability and another massive name to trust in the bullpen. It also gives the club more confidence in closer games as the summer wears on.