Struggling Cardinals All-Star Closer Listed as Trade Candidate for Rangers

The MLB season is well underway, and teams are beginning to understand their strengths and weaknesses. The teams that have postseason aspirations are very likely to already be writing down trade candidates to target at the trade deadline.

Among those teams are the Texas Rangers. Texas won the World Series just two seasons ago and with one of the best lineups in baseball, the Rangers will always have a chance to make another deep run in the postseason.

A department that Texas has struggled in is the bullpen. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller has a solution for that, as he has listed St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley as a potential trade candidate for the Rangers. Helsley has spent his entire career with St. Louis, and it would be hard to envision the Cardinals wanting to move him.

If that does happen, Helsley would certainly help shore up a Texas bullpen that has an MLB eighth-worst 4.37 ERA so far this season.

The Rangers’ current closer Luke Jackson has pitched to a 4.50 ERA this season in seven appearances, a bit above Helsley’s 3.00 ERA in six appearances so far this season.

Helsley is coming off a career year, as he set career highs in appearances (62) and saves (49). His 49 saves were the most in all of baseball and his 62 appearances nearly doubled his previous career high of 33.

Inserting Helsley into the ninth inning role, and allowing Jackson to move back to the setup role he’s served in his entire career would make the Texas bullpen much deeper. In a season in which the American League is a bit up in the air, the bullpen could be the key for the Rangers getting back to the World Series for the second time in three seasons.

More MLB: Kyle Tucker Takes Hard Stance On Contract Situation Amid Hot Start