The New York Yankees have done a great job of pivoting away from Juan Soto after missing on the superstar in free agency. They’ve added quite a bit of talent, but they’re still not done.
New York could look to add more to the bullpen, with St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley being the top option potentially available. The Yankees could attempt to center a trade around Marcus Stroman, although St. Louis has reportedly declined a Stroman for Nolan Arenado deal.
Here’s a deal that could bring Helsley to the Bronx in a trade centered around Stroman:
- New York Yankees receive: RHP Ryan Helsley, RHP Miles Mikolas
- St. Louis Cardinals receive: RHP Marcus Stroman, RHP Chase Hampton (No. 6 prospect)
There are multiple wrinkles to this deal. First, let’s look at the swap of Miles Mikolas for Stroman. Mikolas would head to the Bronx and get cut. The Yankees could eat the rest of his contract while the Cardinals take on Stroman, who has a vesting option in 2026. This takes a year of financial stress off the Yankees while giving the Cardinals a better pitcher.
The other half of the trade is the Cardinals’ closer for the Yankees sixth-ranked prospect Chase Hampton.
Hampton, 23, has multiple dominant pitches that allow him to beat hitters in a lot of different ways. He’s been dominant in his professional career and projects as a front-end-of-the-rotation starter down the line.
Adding Helsley would be a luxury add for the Yankees. They don’t need another closer. Manager Aaron Boone already has Devin Williams in that role, but adding Helsley would form one of the nastiest backend duos in MLB history.
