The Boston Red Sox, following a busy offseason, may not be finished yet as they look to make another significant move to strengthen their bullpen. After acquiring All-Star starting pitcher Garrett Crochet in a December trade with the Chicago White Sox, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has turned his attention to addressing one of the team’s biggest weaknesses from 2024: the bullpen. Despite having a solid starting rotation, the Red Sox struggled mightily with their bullpen, which led to an MLB-worst 18 blown saves after the All-Star break.
While there are still free agents available, the Red Sox are likely to explore the trade market if they are to land a reliable closer, as their current roster lacks a full-time closer from the past two seasons. In a recent article, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo suggested that Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals could be a realistic trade target for Boston. Helsley, a two-time All-Star, is set to enter the final year of his contract with a salary of $8.2 million, which the Cardinals may be looking to shed in order to free up financial space.
Cotillo pointed out that the Red Sox could take advantage of the trade market by acquiring a highly paid reliever, like Helsley, at a reasonable price. “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,” Cotillo wrote. Helsley, 30, has proven himself as one of the top relievers in MLB, boasting an ERA of 2.45 or lower over the past three seasons and leading the league with 49 saves in 2024. For comparison, the Red Sox had just 40 saves as a team, including 27 from former closer Kenley Jansen.
Though acquiring a rental reliever like Helsley might not require a significant prospect investment, the Cardinals are currently holding out on moving him, just as they are with third baseman Nolan Arenado. The Red Sox will need to be cautious in their pursuit, ensuring they don’t overpay or create a bidding war. However, there’s no doubt that Helsley would provide a major boost to their bullpen and significantly increase their chances of making a playoff run in 2025. If the Red Sox are unable to finalize the deal soon, they will have the option to revisit it later in the season, especially if other teams don’t jump ahead in the race to acquire him.
