Helsley among 6 players tendered contracts by Cardinals

Helsley among 6 players tendered contracts by Cardinals

Right-hander Kloffenstein non-tendered to reduce 40-man roster to 38

2:30 AM UTC

As expected, the Cardinals tendered contracts to reliever , Gold Glove defensive ace , outfielder and pitchers , and on Friday, meaning they will be eligible for salary arbitration in the coming months.

The Cardinals non-tendered right-hander pitcher , reducing their 40-man roster 38 players.

Kloffenstein, who made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in the Rickwood Game in Birmingham, Ala., and worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning to record a hold, was the second pitcher acquired by St. Louis in 2023 to be removed from the 40-man roster this week. Kloffenstein, 24, joins , who cleared waivers and rejoined the club on a Minor League deal. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Kloffenstein was 4-5 with a 4.74 ERA over 17 starts with Triple-A Memphis this past season.

Helsley was named the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year last week after recording a club-record 49 saves in 2024. He also set franchise marks for consecutive saves (31) and saves before the All-Star break (32) and joined Hall of Famers Bruce Sutter and Lee Smith as the only Cardinals relievers to make multiple All-Star teams.

Donovan, the first rookie to win a Gold Glove in the rich history of the Cardinals in 2022, was a finalist for the NL utility award this past season. Nootbaar struggled through a rib fracture and an oblique tear in 2024, but he figures to be a central piece of the rebuilding Cardinals in 2025.

Romero finished third in the NL in holds (30), trailing only teammate Andrew Kittredge (37) and Giants righty Tyler Rogers (32). Pallante, a standout as a rookie reliever in 2022, reinvented himself as a starting pitcher in 2024 and went 8-7 with a 3.56 ERA over 20 starts. King, who was acquired from the Rangers at the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline, used his plus sinker to record a ground-ball rate of 61.7 percent over a career-best 60 innings. Among the 160 relievers who pitched at least 50 innings in 2024, only Tim Hill, Clay Holmes and Yennier Cano had higher ground-ball rates.