Central STL News

After a standout season in 2024, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley is facing challenges in 2025. Despite his previous achievements, including an MLB-best and franchise-record 49 saves, Helsley has struggled this year with fewer save opportunities and a higher ERA of 3.38 over 32 appearances. His performance contrasts sharply with last year's success, as he has converted only 18 of his 23 save chances.

“There’s no way to replicate game speed besides obviously being in the game... [Pitching sporadically] isn’t an excuse for me, because I still feel great,” said Helsley after a recent loss to the Braves. He emphasized learning from these experiences and moving forward.

Cardinals reliever Phil Maton also faced difficulties against the Braves, surrendering a crucial home run that shifted the game's momentum. “I had the fastball set up, but it doesn’t do any good when you plant it right in the middle of the zone,” Maton commented on his performance.

Helsley's decline this season is attributed to lower swing-and-miss rates and increased opponent batting averages. Despite maintaining high velocity, his strikeout rate has decreased from last year.

“You compare one [first] half [in 2024] to the next [in '25] and you can see two completely different guys,” noted Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol regarding Helsley's performance variations.

With the trade deadline approaching, Helsley's future with the Cardinals remains uncertain due to his expiring contract and past successes. However, he remains optimistic about his team's potential. “I think we’ve played some great ball... Our offense has done a great job keeping us in games," Helsley stated.