Could the Yankees fortify the back end of their bullpen?
The New York Yankees are four games back of first place in the American League East and currently lead the AL Wild Card race. They have struggled since June and watched their AL East lead vanish.
There are holes in the Yankees roster that will need to be addressed come the trade deadline, which is now less than 10 days away. Starting pitching and third base are seen as their biggest weaknesses.
However, they could also use a little bullpen help. There aren't many relievers available.
The top closer on the market is St. Louis Cardinals right-hander and two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley. Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports listed Helsley as a top trade candidate and had the Yankees as a possible fit.
"There might be some cause for concern with the Cardinals’ closer, but Helsley isn’t the first reliever to go through struggles. And with his track record being what it is, a contender might well believe that a few tweaks and a change of scenery could be just what Helsley needs," Dorsey wrote.
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The Yankees will need to surrender some top prospects if they want to acquire Helsley, and they don't have many to spare. St. Louis will have a very high asking price.
However, Helsley would be a solid addition to the Yankees bullpen, who could have him alongside Luke Weaver and Devin Williams, both of whom have served in the closer's role for the Bronx Bombers.
Helsley saved 49 games last season, setting a Cardinals franchise record. This season, he hasn't been quite as dominant.
Even so, the 31-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA and has recorded 19 saves in 34 appearances. This potential trade could give the Yankees the boost they need to get back in the AL East race.
It will be interesting to see if the Yankees pursue Helsley.
More MLB: Yankees would land $260 million 8-time All-Star in floated trade idea
Category: Baseball
