Mets acquire righty reliever Ryan Helsley from Cardinals

The New York Mets continued their aggressive trade deadline push Wednesday, acquiring All-Star closer Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for three prospects. The deal, originally reported by ESPN and later made official by the teams, sends highly touted shortstop prospect Jesus Baez along with right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt to St. Louis.

Helsley, 31, is in the final year of his contract and has recorded 21 saves with a 3.00 ERA over 36 innings this season. A two-time All-Star, he led Major League Baseball with 49 saves in 2024 and posted a 1.83 ERA from 2022 to 2024.

The Mets' bullpen has lost multiple relievers to season-ending injuries, including A.J. Minter and Dedniel Nunez, and has been among the league's worst since early June, ranking 25th in ERA. Helsley is the second major bullpen acquisition of the day for New York, which also traded for Giants reliever Tyler Rogers in a separate deal earlier Wednesday.

Helsley is expected to serve in a setup role behind Mets closer Edwin Diaz, giving New York a formidable late-inning combination as it pushes for a playoff berth.

--Field Level Media