Attention Black Friday shoppers, the St. Louis Cardinals are open for business.

With their competitive window closing, the franchise has decided to hit the reset button and plans to turn over its roster this off-season, making nearly everyone available via trade. Several high-profile players have already begun to circulate in trade rumours, namely All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who features a full no-trade clause and is signed through 2027.

But the Cardinals are also expected to field offers on a few different pitchers, one of which is a former Toronto Blue Jays hurler and another a potential target for their vacant closer’s position.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold, St. Louis intends to explore trade conversations regarding left-handed starter Steven Matz and right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley this winter. Moving both hurlers would help reduce the organization’s 2025 projected Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payroll, which, per FanGraphs RosterResource, stands at approximately $162 million.

Matz, who spent one season with Toronto in ’21, will enter the final season of a four-year, $44-million contract next season. He’s scheduled to earn $12.5 million before entering free agency after the ’25 campaign. Helsley, also a free agent after next season, is projected to command $6.9 million during his final arbitration year, according to MLB Trade Rumors’ projection model.

The 33-year-old lefty missed most of last season due to nagging back issues, limiting him to just 12 appearances (seven starts) with the Cardinals. He worked exclusively out of the bullpen down the stretch, allowing just one run over his final eight innings. Collectively, he pitched to a disappointing 5.08 ERA and 4.88 FIP with 33 strikeouts across 44.1 innings.

Despite his injury-plagued campaign, Matz should have a healthy market of suitors seeking a back-end starter, given he’s only two seasons removed from being worth 2.0 fWAR over 105 innings.

Though Helsley only has one year of club control left, the Cardinals will almost certainly seek a sizeable return for his services — and understandably so. The 30-year-old led the majors in saves (49) a season ago while accounting for a career-high 2.3 fWAR in 65 relief appearances.

The right-handed closer also features one of the most overpowering arsenals in the sport, with an upper-90s four-seamer that ranked in the 99th percentile in average velocity (99.6 m.p.h.) and a slider primarily responsible for his 97th percentile whiff rate (36.1 per cent) last season.

The Blue Jays must rebuild their bullpen this winter, which includes finding a replacement for Jordan Romano, who was non-tendered by the club ahead of last Friday’s deadline and is expected to sign elsewhere in free agency. Since the front office is unlikely to fill that void with a free-agent signing, acquiring a pitcher of Helsley’s calibre could be the perfect alternative.

That route would likely require subtracting from the organization’s surplus of controllable infielders — such as moving Addison Barger, for example, given Arenado’s expected departure. However, it would provide a solid foundation to build around in the ‘pen with a back-end trio of Helsley, Chad Green and Erik Swanson.

All three will be eligible for free agency after next season, though.

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