Cardinals' hot streak could cost Orioles their trade deadline

The Baltimore Orioles' bats have been solid this season and the team's starting pitching phenomenal, but there is a bit of an issue with the bullpen. More specifically, the O's closer.

The Orioles made the questionable decision this past winter to sign Craig Kimbrel to lock down the ninth inning. It was a rather peculiar choice given the veteran's track record recently — especially during the postseason. I mean, did Mike Elias even watch the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2023 NLCS?

But the trade deadline always offers teams the ability to upgrade the roster ahead of what everyone in Birdland hopes to be a playoff push. However, a very prominent name in the minds of most Orioles fans may have just flown the coop.

Cardinals' hot streak could cost Orioles their trade deadline

Ryan Helsley, the St. Louis Cardinals closer, has been a popular target among Orioles fans on social media. Helsley's overpowering stuff has O's fans dreaming about what might be. Helsley, according to Baseball Savant, ranks among the best in the game in terms of fastball velocity with a heater than averages 99.4 mph. The right-hander owns a 2.52 ERA with 18 saves on the year.

But the Baltimore faithful may have to set aside those dreams — at least for now. The Cardinals, most likely due to their famed Devil Magic, have come back from the dead in recent weeks. Once at the bottom of the NL Central Division standings, a surge in recent weeks have vaulted St. Louis to within a few games of the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

This recent streak of winning games likely takes the Cardinals out of the sellers' market, meaning that Helsley is unlikely to be available at the MLB trade deadline later this summer. Sigh!

But cheer up, Orioles fans. There just happens to be a really bad team out on the West Coast who's moving to a new city next season, and they're undoubtedly going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Rumors abound that the best closer is the best in baseball, Mason Miller, could be pried away from the Oakland A's.

It may cost a king's ransom, considering the amount of team control that would come with acquiring Miller, but if there's any team who has the depth in the farm system to pull off this type of blockbuster deal, it's the Orioles. Time to dream big, O's fans.

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