Could the Yankees’ blockbuster Devin Williams trade lead to the Cardinals moving Ryan Helsley?

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers reportedly agreed to terms on Friday afternoon for a trade that would bring Brewers’ All-Star closer Devin Williams to the Yankees.

This trade completely shocked the baseball world as the Brewers front office had reportedly denied the Williams trade rumors several weeks ago. Milwaukee was expected to keep Williams until the 2025 MLB trade deadline, but the Brewers ultimately decided to trade him now.

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a very similar situation with their closer Ryan Helsley. Both Helsley and Williams have expiring contracts. Both closers are among the best players in the game on teams that may not play in the World Series next season.

Could the blockbuster deal between the Brewers and Yankees spark a possible Helsley transfer?

The short answer is probably not, but there’s a lot to unpack here.

Milwaukee doesn’t spend as much money as St. Louis. The likelihood of Milwaukee re-signing Williams is much lower than the likelihood of St. Louis re-signing Helsley. If the Cardinals believe they have a chance of keeping Helsley in St. Louis, they will choose to keep him. According to Spotrac, Helsley is expected to sign an $81 million contract in 2025.

The Brewers are also close to contention. They may have lost Willy Adames, but Milwaukee is not a team that appears to be rebuilding itself. If it’s not competitive at the trade deadline, the Brewers could blow it up. But the Williams trade brings a big league starting pitcher and a big league ready infielder to Milwaukee. It wasn’t about a package full of interested parties.

Ultimately, Helsley and Williams’ situations are similar in some ways, but different in others. The Cardinals will likely explore the idea of ​​moving Helsley up by the trade deadline, but the Williams transfer shouldn’t result in the Cardinals moving Helsley as well.

More MLB: Blockbuster trade between Yankees and Brewers leaves door open for Cubs and Reds in NL Central