Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Brings Cardinals $8M Two-Time All-Star To Boston

Time for one more Boston Red Sox blockbuster trade this winter?

It’s been a busy offseason for Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow on the trade front, headlined by the December swap with the Chicago White Sox that brought All-Star starting pitcher Garrett Crochet to Boston. But the work is not yet done to make this Red Sox team a playoff contender.

Though the starting pitching appears to be in a good spot, the Red Sox still need support at the back end of their bullpen, which caused a Major League Baseball-worst 18 blown saves after the All-Star break in 2024.

Though there are still some free agents available, the trade market may be the only way to go if the Red Sox are hoping to land a surefire closer, which may not be a bad idea given that their roster doesn’t have anyone who has been a full-time closer within the last two seasons.

In a recent article, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo proposed St. Louis Cardinals two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley as a realistic target for Boston to acquire, as he enters his final year of team control with an $8.2 million salary his team may want to shed.

“The Red Sox can also attack the trade market for a highly paid reliever whose team might want to shed money by moving him,” Cotillo wrote.

“(A deal) at a palatable price (a good chunk of money, but not a major prospect) for someone like… St. Louis ’Ryan Helsley (owed $8.2 million in his final year of free agency)… could make sense as well.”

Helsley, 30, has become one of the truly elite relievers in MLB, putting up an ERA of 2.45 or lower in each of the last three seasons and leading all of baseball with 49 saves in 2024. The Red Sox totaled 40 saves as a team, including 27 from ex-closer Kenley Jansen.

Though it shouldn’t cost much to acquire a rental reliever in theory, the Cardinals seem to be waiting out the market at the moment–both with Helsley and third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The Red Sox should be careful not to overpay or bid against themselves, but there’s no doubt Helsley would dramatically increase their playoff chances in 2025. It’s