Ryan Helsley trade grades: Mets get 'A' for huge bullpen upgrade with closer, Cardinals return holds promise

The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a four-player swap on Wednesday night that sent closer Ryan Helsley, a two-time All-Star, to the east coast in exchange for minor-league infielder Jesus Baez and right-handers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.

As is tradition here at CBS Sports, every notable trade will receive instant analysis in the form of a grades column. Below, you'll find our insight into each of the involved players, as well as that same insight translated into a single letter grade.

Mets trade for Ryan Helsley: New York bulks up bullpen with electric Cardinals closer

Dayn Perry

Before getting to the reason you clicked, let's reprint the deal in its entirety: 

• Mets receive: RHP Ryan Helsley
• Cardinals receive: INF Jesus Baez, RHP Nate Dohm, and RHP Frank Elissalt

Let's move forward, never backward.

Mets grade: A

For the third time in a week, and the second time in a matter of hours, top executive David Stearns has delivered manager Carlos Mendoza a new reliever. First it was lefty Gregory Soto, then righty Tyler Rogers, and now Ryan Helsley -- one of the best relievers available on the market. Combine those forces with what the Mets already had in house, including one Edwin Díaz, and there should be no shortage of options for Mendoza to call upon in the mid-to-late stages of most games.

Helsley, 31, is an impending free agent who can really bring the heat. His fastball is again this year averaging better than 99 mph -- and that serves as his secondary pitch. His primary offering, for the second consecutive season, is an upper-80s slider that has generated a 45.6% whiff rate. You can understand why Helsley has made two All-Star Games in the last four seasons, all the while recording a 2.03 ERA (203 ERA+) and a 3.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

If there is a nit to pick here, it's that there are some signs of decline compared to recent seasons. Helsley strikeout and walk rates are both worse than they were last year, and his hard-hit percentage -- that is, the share of batted balls with an exit velocity of 95 mph or higher -- is up 10 percentage points compared to his 2024 mark. Helsley has shifted more toward ground balls this season, and that's canceled out some of the potential damage. Still, it's something to keep in mind, even if it doesn't end up mattering until the offseason, when teams look for excuses to not hand out multi-year contracts to players, especially single-inning relievers.

Otherwise? This is a case where the Mets recognize they're in an arms race -- literally, on Wednesday -- with the Philadelphia Phillies to win the National League East. If giving up a few prospects they won't miss to better position themselves for the rest of the season is what it takes, then so be it. 

Cardinals grade: A

Considering that the Cardinals were trading a half season of a reliever, this looks like a good return -- one that may lack the name-brand value that the San Francisco Giants received from the Mets in exchange for fellow reliever Tyler Rogers, but that may offer more tangible production. 

Baez, 20, is a righty-swinging infielder with experience at each of the non-first-base infield positions. In 75 games split between Low- and High-A to date, he's amassed a .242/.332/.390 slash line with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases on 10 attempts. Don't let the sub-.400 slugging percentage fool you: there's some legit thump here, as evidenced by his ability to to hit four of his 10 home runs to left- or straight-center, and another three to right field. Baez has also done a nice job of keeping his strikeout rate in check -- even this season, while being young for his respective leagues, he's punched out in just 16.3% of his trips to the plate. It's to be seen where he ends up defensively, though third base is the most likely answer. 

Dohm, 22, was New York's third-round pick in last summer's draft who slid because of availability concerns. (He finished his collegiate career with 112 innings over three seasons.)  In 18 outings this season (17 of them starts) spread between Low- and High-A, he's managed a 2.87 ERA and a 3.35 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Dohm's arsenal is led by a low-to-mid 90s fastball with nearly 18 inches of induced vertical break. He's tinkered with four other pitches, too, including a slider that leads his repertoire in whiff rate. There's big-league starter upside here if Dohm can stay healthy.

Elissalt, 23, was a 19th-round pick in 2024 by way of Nova Southeastern University -- the same Florida school that produced, among others, J.D. Martinez and Miles Mikolas. Anyway, Elissalt delivers a mid-90s sinker, a changeup that almost serves as a splitter, and a pair of breaking balls from a low release point (5.2 feet). He's split the year between Low- and High-A, scoring a 3.04 ERA and a 3.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio while mostly pitching in a multi-inning relief capacity. The Cardinals will ostensibly keep him in the bullpen and continue to work on refining his game.