Helsley was the first name Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak mentioned Tuesday as a potential closing candidate to begin the season in the event Giovanny Gallegos (non-injury related) isn't ready to go for Opening Day, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.
With Jordan Hicks (elbow) still on the mend from Tommy John surgery and set to open the campaign on the injured list, Gallegos appeared to be the odds-on favorite to close for St. Louis coming off a brilliant 2019 season out of the bullpen and a solid spring training. Unfortunately for Gallegos, the COVID-19 pandemic has created complications with traveling from his native Mexico, as he has yet to arrive in St. Louis since summer camp began last week. Even if Gallegos makes it back to the United States before Opening Day, the Cardinals may not be comfortable using him in high-leverage spots right away, which could pave the way for the fireballing Helsley to see some save opportunities. Helsley's numbers from 2019 weren't exceptional (2.95 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 in 36.2 innings), but the Cardinals were encouraged by the strides he made during the spring and seemingly have him earmarked for a key role out of the bullpen in his second MLB season. In addition to Helsley, Carlos Martinez could also enter the mix for saves if Gallegos isn't available, though the Cardinals still intend to give Martinez a chance to lock down the fifth spot in the rotation during summer camp.