ÁńÁ«ÊÓÆ”

After deciding to attend the University of Rochester, mainly for the academics, and after making his way onto his university’s baseball team as a walk-on, all Nolan Sparks wanted to do was “just to keep on playing.”

Even as the right-hander saw many of his peers at the NCAA Division III level turn to internships and paths outside of the baseball, he still felt otherwise.

“For some reason, I just had an itch to keep on playing,” Sparks said. “An itch to always play when I can, always get better when I can. Slowly and slowly, I just got better and better.”

He’ll get his chance to do so.

The 21-year-old had his dreams of getting drafted into professional baseball become reality Tuesday when the Cardinals picked him in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB draft. He was one of 10 players the Cardinals selected on Day 3. St. Louis’ other picks from rounds 11-20 of the first-year player draft include four pitchers, four infielders and one outfielder.

“It’s a crazy moment where, even though I was hopeful and kind of expecting to be able to get picked up by a certain team, you just never really understand what it’s like to go through it until you’ve been through it,” Sparks said. “It was just amazing. A whole lot of weight taken off my shoulders. It’s just kind of a moment where you’re not even on cloud nine, you’re just somewhere above that because you know all the hard work has gotten you there.”

While playing for Rochester, Sparks posted a 3.06 ERA, struck out 248 batters in 209 innings and held opposing hitters to a .201 average. He played sparingly as a freshman in 2021 before becoming a starter in his final three years. A 7-0 record, 2.76 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 62 innings as a junior in 2023 earned him Liberty League pitcher of the year honors.

His winter training ahead of his senior season led him to Tread Athletics, a training center in Charlotte, North Carolina, that has been used by Cardinals like Andre Pallante and Zack Thompson. Because the 5-foot-11 righty listed at 195 pounds didn’t have “the luxury of a big frame,” he knew improvements in the weight room could only take his velocity so far.

“The arm was kind of there,” Sparks said. “Just needed the rest of the body to kind of be more athletic. It was kind of endless training of getting all that tuned out.”

The offseason mechanical and mobility work improved his average velocity from 92 mph to 95 mph with the ability to flash 96 mph. The improved fastball highlights a pitch repertoire that includes a cutter, a gyro slider, and a curveball. He said he’s working on an off-speed pitch to combat righties.

With the gains, he posted a 2.25 ERA and struck out 80 batters in 60 innings as a senior to earn conference pitcher of the year honors for a second consecutive season and a call from the Cardinals.

“When you’re starting to get to this spot of the draft, you’re really listening to your scouts and who they like,” Cardinals assistant general manager and scouting director Randy Flores said of Sparks. “... A credit goes to our scouting department for tagging him. And then, additionally, we really thought he moved well.

“You’re checking with (senior minor league pitching coordinator) Tim Leveque and his group (on) what type of upside and what more can we get out of him. He did have a gain in stuff. His strikeout rate spiked. We actually really liked out how he moved. How he got down the mound. I thought we might even be able to make continued adjustments and improvements in him as a pro.”

Along with Sparks, the Cardinals’ Day 3 picks include right-handers Mason Burns (14th round), Sam Brodersen (15th round) and Missouri State’s Brandt Thompson (17th round); lefty Owen Rice (20th round); shortstops Jon Jon Gazdar (11th round), Christian Martin (18th round) and Brendan Lawson (19th round); outfielder Ian Petrutz (12th round); and third baseman Deniel Ortiz (16th round).

Lawson — an 18-year-old out of P27 Academy in Lexington, South Carolina — came into the draft ranked as Baseball America’s No. 132 prospect and is committed to the University of Florida. Flores said it is a “a long shot, a very long shot” that the Cardinals could sign him.

Local line

St. Louis University outfielder and Chaminade graduate Patrick Clohisy was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round. Fellow SLU product and Belleville East grad Evan Gray was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round.

Christian Brothers College grad and Louisiana State right-hander Christian Little was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th round.

Summit High grad Sean Barnett, who played three seasons for Wingate University, was drafted in the 11th round by the San Diego Padres. Barnett is listed as a two-way player.

Missouri State righty and CBC grad Eric Loomis was taken by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round.

Borgia alum and Mizzou product Bryce Mayer was selected by the Houston Astros in the 16th round.

Mizzou’s Ryan Magdic was drafted in the 14th round by the Oakland Athletics, while fellow Tiger Carter Rustad was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 15th round.

SIU Carbondale righty Aidan Foeller was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th round.

University of Illinois’ Camden Janik was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round.

St. Louis Cardinals

A look at the Cardinals' selections from Day 3 of the MLB draft, plus area draftees

• Brandon Haynes

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals MLB draft: St. Louis drafts eight collegiate players on Day 2

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Cardinals draft Oklahoma State righty and two college arms they can 'bet on' during Day 2

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5 things to know about JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ 2024 first-round draft pick

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One of the Cardinals' most unique drafts in recent history drew to an end with Day 3 of the MLB draft on Tuesday. 

Only two days after drafting in the top 10 for the first time in a quarter-century, the Cardinals rounded out the three-day draft with eight selections. In total, they drafted 19 players, including six infielders, two catchers, two outfielders, six right-handed pitchers and three left-handers. Only two of the Cardinals' selections were not out of a four-year university, both of which came on Day 3. 

Here is a brief breakdown of the eight players that the Cardinals drafted on the final day of the draft:

Round 11, 321st overall

Shortstop Jon Jon Gazdar, Austin Peay University: The Atlantic Sun Conference defensive player of the year had one of the nation's best strikeout rates and boasted a 40-game on-base streak during the spring season. He is a high-contact, low-strikeout hitter. 

Round 12, 351st overall

Outfielder Ian Petrutz, University of Alabama: One of the Southeastern Conference's leaders in average (.351) on-base percentage (.447) this season, the left-handed hitting outfielder possesses a compelling high-contact rate and sound hard-hit skills. 

Round 13, 381st overall

Right-handed pitcher Nolan Sparks, University of Rochester: A Division III standout, the 21-year-old righty earned Liberty League pitcher of the year honors in 2023 and 2024. He flashes upside with a recently improved mid-90s fastball and notable strikeout-rate.

Round 14, 411th overall

Right-handed pitcher Mason Burns, Western Kentucky University: Considered one of the nation's top relievers, the closer ranked second nationally with 15 saves this season. The 22-year-old owns a tempting slider that pairs well with a lively low-90s fastball.  

Round 15, 441st overall

Right-handed pitcher Sam Brodersen, Louisiana Tech University: The All-Conference USA first-team selection posted an 8-1 record with a 40% strikeout rate this season, relying on a strong two-pitch mix. Before Louisiana Tech, he led Wingate University to the Division II national championship in 2021.

Round 16, 471st overall

Third baseman Deniel Ortiz, Walters State Community College: A selection from the junior college ranks, the Caguas, Puerto Rico, native slashed .387/.535/.771 in two seasons with Walters State. He intrigued scouts with his exit velocity and line-drive contact.

Round 17, 501st overall

Right-handed pitcher Brandt Thompson, Missouri State University: The first Missouri State player to earn All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team honors in back-to-back seasons had 159 strikeouts and a 7% strikeout rate in two years with the Bears. 

Round 18, 531st overall

Shortstop Christian Martin, Virginia Tech University: Yet another high-contact hitter, Martin had an on-base percentage above .400 in all three seasons at Virginia Tech. He hits from the left side, displaying strong bat-to-ball abilities without the consistent power. 

Round 19, 561st overall

Shortstop Brendan Lawson, P27 Academy (Lexington, South Carolina): The top-ranked Canadian prospect and Baseball America's No. 132 overall draft-eligible player is a "long shot" to sign is considered as advanced prep hitter with a promising blend of contact and power.

Round 20, 591st overall

Left-handed pitcher Owen Rice, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: The Cardinals' final selection of the draft is a 6-foot-6 lanky southpaw with a low-90s fastball and developing secondary pitches. Armed with a deceptive delivery, he may be a tough matchup for left-handed hitters.

Local line

• Two-way player Sean Barnett, Rockwood Summit graduate and Wingate University player: Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 11th round (330th overall).
• Christian Little, CBC alum and LSU player: Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th round (333rd overall).
• Aidan Foeller, Southern Illinois University Carbondale: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th round (340th).
• Patrick Clohisy, Chaminade and St. Louis University: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round (341st).
• Camden Janik, University of Illinois: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round (354th).
• Ryan Magdic, University of Missouri: Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th round (406th).
• Evan Gray, Belleville East graduate and St. Louis University: Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round (448th).
• Carter Rustad, University of Missouri: Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 15th round (459th).
• Bryce Mayer, Borgia alum and University of Missouri: Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round (493rd).
• Eric Loomis, CBC graduate and Missouri State University: Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round (495th).

St. Louis Cardinals

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How taking All-Star break sets up Cardinals’ ‘true closer’ Ryan Helsley for a record finish

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Cardinals MLB draft: St. Louis drafts eight collegiate players on Day 2

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A look at the Cardinals' selections from Day 2 of the MLB draft, plus area draftees

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ARLINGTON, Texas — Within a few years of the radical rule innovations that hastened games, the next seismic shifts in Major League Baseball are going to be how it calls something so fundamental as balls and strikes and how fans tune in to judge that new technology.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said a system to call automated balls and strikes, or ABS, could be in the majors within two seasons.

Already in the minors, it could be game-tested in spring training as early as 2025.

“Which would make it 2026 a viable possibility,” Manfred said.

During separate but consecutive news conferences Tuesday at the All-Star Game with members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, Manfred and players union chief Tony Clark commented on a wide range of topics. They covered participation in the 2028 Olympic Summer Games to trading draft picks to the Athletics’ ongoing relocation quagmire to Las Vegas by way of Sacramento. Of all the topics covered, two figure to influence the industry most in the coming years before the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement.

The practice of calling balls and strikes is going to change.

The broadcast model for how fans access games is going to change.

“The (regional sports network) business model is really deteriorating. We know the future is going to be streaming,” Manfred said about the once-lucrative system that has been buffeted by bankruptcy and ongoing court hearings that will force the model to change. “When you talk to people in the streaming business, they’re not really interested in buying the state of Wisconsin and two counties in Michigan. ÁńÁ«ÊÓÆ” want to be able to stream, quite frankly, all over the U.S. and Canada, (and) more broadly internationally.

“ÁńÁ«ÊÓÆ” want a more national product,” he continued, “and we need to be responsive to what people want to buy.”

Getting to that point will be tricky.

Major League Baseball does not yet have the ability to negotiate a streaming package for all 30 clubs, and the next round of national broadcast negotiations are set for 2028. Manfred said he envisions a process where MLB enters into a streaming deal with 14 or 15 clubs and “a situation where we grow into a 30-club model.” A goal for some owners, like the Cardinals, is to shed the blackout restrictions and make their games more available to more people, preferably in a direct-to-consumer subscription. A snag in that plan is how RSN agreements have been a faucet for revenues — and those are shriveling due to cord-cutting.

Not involved in the bankruptcy case or its resolution at the moment, a shift to the national broadcast model would bring the MLB Players Association into the arena because, as Clark noted, it involves “items that just can’t be flipped during the middle of a bargaining agreement.”

The players are already involved in the ABS arrival.

Manfred said the tech has improved to call pitches within a hundredth of an inch and can precisely track pitch movement. Based on input from players, MLB expects to implement a challenge system where umpires still call balls and strikes but the hitter, pitcher and catcher have the right to challenge the call a limited amount of times. ABS would be used for the challenges. The union has some modern concerns.

“Even with the challenge system as to how the strike zone itself is going to be considered, what that looks like, how consistent it’s going to be, (and) what happens in a world where Wi-Fi goes down in the ballpark or the tech acts up on any given night?” Clark said. “We’re seeing those issues, albeit in minor league ballparks. We do not want to end up in a world where at a major league ballpark we end up with more questions than answers as to the integrity of that night’s game or calls associated with it. Yes, the league is continuing to make a push.”

• On the 2028 Olympics: MLB owners recently heard a pitch from Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA 2028, about having big league players participate in the Summer Games when they return to Los Angeles in four years. Baseball, which is not featured in the Paris games this month, will return for LA in ’28. Several prominent players have expressed interest in participating, though everything from how to adjust the schedule to who covers the insurance on injuries would all have to be determined.

One possibility to be explored is how the 2028 All-Star Game has yet to be awarded to a city. The LA games would overlap with the usual timing of the Midsummer Classic.

“I remain open-minded on that topic,” Manfred said. “Forget about what’s going to happen to baseball in the Olympics long-term. When you’re in LA and you focus on LA, it is an opportunity that we need to think about.”

Clark said the union would work on it if the players are intrigued by the Olympics.

• On returning to Rickwood: Both Clark and Manfred raved about the experiences they had personally and baseball had collectively this past month when the Cardinals hosted the San Francisco Giants for a regular-season game at Rickwood Field, the oldest ballpark in the United States. The game was a celebration of the Negro Leagues and featured living players from the Negro Leagues at a time that MLB announced it would include Negro League statistics in its official rankings and records.

Manfred said the plan is to return to Birmingham, Alabama, with an event of some kind and not treat the game at Rickwood as a one “and we’re done.”

“Having an event and then disappearing is not what we should be doing,” Clark said. “So I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful that we can have dialogue about the game continuing and or events around it continuing. I’m hopeful that it’s not one stop, one year, in and out and we’re done.”

On trading draft picks: Manfred expressed an openness to the discussion about introducing something to the MLB draft that, unlike other celebrated pro sports drafts, has never permitted. With the exception of the recently introduced competitive balance picks, MLB clubs have never had the chance to trade a draft pick, to flip the first overall pick into a major league return that could help sooner or trade down to accumulate more picks.

An All-Star Game absent Cardinals

With Ryan Helsley electing not to pitch in Tuesday night’s game, the Cardinals were left without a representative to take the field. It’s the first time since the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco that a Cardinal has not appeared in the box score, and that was a stunning absence considering Albert Pujols remained on the bench when the game ended with his own manager in charge of the substitutions.

As World Series champion in 2006, Tony La Russa and his staff led the National League into the Midsummer Classic, and La Russa later explained he stashed Pujols on the bench because of his defensive versatility and the concern for extra innings.

Like Helsley, Pujols was the lone Cardinal selected for that All-Star Game.

With no Cardinal voted into the starting lineup this season it’s the first time since 2019 that the Cardinals did not have a starter for the NL. Nolan Arenado represented the Cardinals and started in 2021 and 2023, and Paul Goldschmidt started the 2022 game at Dodger Stadium.

Cardinals coaches galore, etc.

The pitching coaches for both All-Star clubs Tuesday had ties to the Cardinals. Brent Strom returned to professional baseball when invited to oversee minor league pitching for the Cardinals and, after leaving in 2011, has been big league pitching coach for World Series teams in Houston and, this past fall, Arizona.

Former Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux said he had decided to retire after the 2022 season with the Cardinals, only to be lured back to the dugout by Bruce Bochy, the Rangers and the chance to work close to his year-round home. He was rewarded with the 2023 World Series and his first World Series ring.

• Former Cardinals bench coach and current Cincinnati manager David Bell served on the NL coaching staff.
• The NL club’s hitting coach was Joe Mather, the former Cardinals farmhand who is in his third season as Arizona’s hitting coach.
• Before the game, Helsley had his No. 56 St. Louis Cardinals home Saturday jersey ready and signed for a jersey swap with Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, a St. Louis native and John Burroughs High graduate.
• Entering Tuesday’s game, the American League led the all-time All-Star Game record, 47-44-2.

I’ve got good and bad baseball context for the Cardinals at the All-Star break.

Let’s start on the plus side.

Five times in the past six 162-game seasons — you know, the ones not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — the National League Central’s first-place team at the All-Star break failed to become the division winner.

The pattern played out last season, when the Brewers caught and passed the Reds, who were up one game in the standings at the break before the Brewers clinched the Central by a margin of nine games.

It happened in 2022, when the Cardinals caught and passed the Brewers, who went from leading by a half-game to seeing the Cardinals claim the Central by seven.

It didn’t happen in 2021, when the Brewers went wire to wire, but it happened in 2019, before the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when the Cardinals caught and passed the Cubs, who had a half-game advantage at the break. And it happened in 2018, when the Brewers also caught and passed the Cubs.

Do people realize how many times those past few sentences said Brewers?

More on that in a minute.

First, some more Cardinals encouragement.

For seven consecutive seasons, the Cardinals have produced a better winning percentage after the All-Star break than they did before it. Yes, even during last season’s dreadful last-place finish, they were less bad after the break than they were before it. That part is not much to celebrate, I get it. But the larger trend is indeed noteworthy.

Since 2016, the Cardinals rank second in the National League and first in their division in second-half winning percentage: .576. Only the Dodgers (.641) and Astros (.593) top the Cardinals on this list in this span. While certain characteristics of Cardinals baseball have fluctuated rapidly as postseason success has become more spotty for the Cardinals, the muscle memory that helps them finish strong has remained.

ÁńÁ«ÊÓÆ” will need to flex it again, and a lot more effectively than last season, to have a chance of catching Milwaukee.

The Brewers are 4œ games up on the second-place Cardinals in the Central and have shown little interest in the kinds of detours that give others a chance to gain meaningful ground.

The last time the Brewers had this padded of an All-Star break lead, they turned a four-game advantage into a five-game cushion before they clinched. You have to go back to 2017 to find an example of Milwaukee blowing a first-half lead of four or more games to a division foe. When the Cardinals swarmed the Brewers in 2022, it was just a half-game first-half advantage they had to erase.

The challenge is bigger now, and the Brewers have made a clear statement to the Central. No Craig Counsell? No problem.

The Cubs threw a mountain of money at manager Counsell to fix their problems; they’re in last place and 8Âœ games back. The Brewers promoted bench coach Pat Murphy from within and continued to make the case that this is their division until proven otherwise. Cardinals fans don’t like to hear that, but the results are in, and they are real.

The Brewers have beaten the Cardinals six times in seven tries this season, outscoring them 42-16. Three of those times, they have clobbered the Cardinals by six or more runs.

While the entire NL Central has become a postseason pretender since the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, the Brewers have climbed into rare territory when it comes to regular-season reliability. They have joined the Dodgers (809) and Braves (708) as one of three NL teams to win 700-plus regular season games since the start of 2016.

This season they have some signs of real staying power.

They have, according to FanGraphs’ version of defensive runs saved, the best defense in the National League — 38 runs above average.

They have a refreshed Christian Yelich, who is averaging .325 with a .412 on-base percentage and a .521 slugging percentage, along with 21 steals. He’s one of four Milwaukee position players, including All-Star catcher William Contreras, who accumulated between 2.2 (shortstop Willy Adames) and 4.4 (Brice Turang) wins above replacement before the break. They also have a bullpen that ranks second in the NL in ERA (3.35) and saves (32).

They have not gone under .500 once this season. They have not suffered a losing month or a losing streak that lasted longer than three games. They have 26 comeback wins compared with 17 blown leads.

Point is, they’re tough. Again. More than some seem to realize. Again.

The Cardinals are a second-half team, but they are going to have to be an especially strong one to shake up what has steadily become Milwaukee’s division to lose.

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The mad scientist Rob Manfred — a designer suit in place of his lab coat — has tinkered and meddled with the grand old game, from phantom runners and designated hitters to enlarged bases and pitch clocks.

The commissioner of Major League Baseball, to his credit, has sped up the games. But he’s also mucked with and frayed tradition, which is stitched into baseball like, well, stitches in a baseball.

And while this one is more of a cosmetic complaint, I’m quite passionate about it — and as I’ve seen on social media, so are others.

Rob, please switch it back. Have each MLB All-Star wear his own team’s uniform in the All-Star Game.

Tuesday is the 2024 All-Star Game, and the event that’s supposed to showcase the identities and personalities of baseball’s best will, instead, feature a bunch of identical Stormtroopers. For a few years now, all National League All-Stars have worn the same generic jerseys and uniforms, as have those on the American League squad. It’s a problem for many reasons — a notable one being, while watching the game, you don’t know who the hell anyone is.

All-Stars have been reduced to Abbott and Costello characters.

“Runner on first, there’s a grounder to, um, I don’t know at third, who throws it to — what’s the guy’s name covering second? — over to who’s on first.”

For years (generations!), the All-Star Game was this carnival of colors and colorful characters. Some kids loved rainbows; I loved the array of uniform colors during All-Star introductions.

Each summer, there was an anticipation for the sensation. You’d turn on your Sony or Magnavox, and suddenly, you were transported to Jack Murphy Stadium or the Astrodome or, perhaps, Fenway or Wrigley. And the camera would pan across the gods all in one spot, stopping on each reserve All-Star in his own team’s colors and uniform.

One by one, they got their moment. It was intimate. And you weren’t only hoping to see the star’s face — like you still can today, even though they’re draped in these monstrosities — but you were also excited to see their uniforms. That was their superhero outfit.

And then came the announcement of the starting lineup. Each guy would trot out of the dugout and give a handshake to the other starters previously announced (it often set up the awkward exchange between the manager and the leadoff hitter, standing side by side and waiting).

Seeing an All-Star in his own uniform is infinitely cooler than seeing him in the generic jersey, regardless of how many dollars MLB makes from selling them. And in a sport that forever lags in marketing its players, the All-Star Game is a simple way to do so. Instead, as you watch the game, you don’t even know what real team each guy is on — or who each guy even is.

There is a pride for a fan to see their favorite player in their favorite uniform at the All-Star Game. Many St. Louisans can speak to seeing Ozzie Smith in a starting lineup. Or Albert Pujols. Or Ted Simmons.

And it’s a moment for the fan of each team (every team) to say — “Ah, there’s my guy in our uniform.”

And it’s moment-making. I’ll never forget 1989. Out trotted Bo Jackson — white jersey, blue Royals lettering and hat — as the American League leadoff hitter. For those who recall, Bo then homered in the first at-bat of the game (followed by a homer from, of all people, Wade Boggs). It was this indelible experience.

So yeah, here’s a chance for Major League Baseball to create organic and free-of-charge moments of fan excitement. Also, every All-Star Game is some fans’ first All-Star Game. Their first chance to see this unique baseball spectacle. Give that fan a colorful, vibrant memory.

Incidentally, I don’t think this is that controversial of a topic. It’s not the designated hitter. I don’t think there is a legion of fans fighting to keep the league-issued uniforms upon the All-Stars (especially after you all see what Nike threw together for Tuesday’s game).

Even some players miss it. On Monday, perennial All-Star Bryce Harper told the Los Angeles Times that he loved watching All-Stars take the field in their own teams’ uniforms.

“If we could change back to that,” Harper told the sportswriter Bill Shaikin, “I think it would be really cool.”

Alas, one fears that there’s too much money at play here. Big contracts with big corporations. It was almost inevitable that something as carefree as All-Star uniform tradition would give way to money-making.

After all, everything in sports these days is either for sale — or has an advertisement selling something. But Rob, if you’re reading, please consider losing some extra bucks from your pile of billions for the sake of tradition and baseball beauty. And who knows, it might even get you back in the good graces of some fans.

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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Cardinals were less than a few weeks into spring training when Ryan Helsley walked into the manager’s office to learn about a decision that would help define the club’s season and slingshot him toward a record-setting first half, an All-Star Game invitation and potentially one of the finest seasons ever for a Cardinal in the role he was about to get.

After several seasons of using matchups and moments, not saves and their pesky ninth-inning trappings, to guide their use of Helsley, the Cardinals were going retro, totes traditional.

He had the ninth, manager Oliver Marmol told Helsley.

They had a closer.

“Honestly, in my head I was thinking it would be cool just to be a closer sometime,” Helsley said. “I think the competitor in me wanted to be in there whenever I had the chance to be in there. This spring, it was, we’re going to focus on how I can be available every day, how can I feel my best every day and take the ball. They said, ‘We’re going to stick to our guns and let you be that one-inning closer for us.’”

The returns have been essential to a second-place Cardinals team prone to playing claustrophobic games. Helsley leads the majors with 32 saves and he had a 31-for-31 streak of successfully converting save opportunities. He has appeared in 37 of the Cardinals’ 50 wins, and according to advanced metrics, no player has routinely appeared in higher-leverage spots this season. He set a Cardinals record for most saves by the All-Star break, shattered the club record for most consecutive save opportunities secured, and earned his second career All-Star Game nod. It was there, on Monday afternoon at Texas’ Globe Life Field, that he made a decision about the All-Star Game that reflects what has made his season so successful.

He knows when to save himself.

Availability has been essential to his success, and to assure his availability to start the sprint to October, Helsley bowed out of the 94th Midsummer Classic. He’ll “soak it up and celebrate it,” he said, but won’t pitch in it Tuesday night.

“As active as I’ve been, for me, it’s going to be trying to be healthy,” he said. “Take the four days. I’ve been really busy the first half. Let my body recover. I want to pitch, but I think the smart thing is to take a few days.”

Major League Baseball replaced Helsley on the active roster with Washington reliever Kyle Finnegan. That move means the Cardinals’ lone player selected for the All-Star Game will not appear.

Helsley explained the decision was made after conversations with Cardinals coaches, athletic trainers and the National League coaching staff in Texas. He had a save over the weekend as the Cardinals split a series with the Cubs, and Helsley recently completed his first two-inning outing of the season. He said there is no physical ailment beyond fatigue and pitching recently through some hip tightness. He planned to dine with almost a dozen family members and friends Monday and celebrate “a healthy first half.”

“Just listening to your body,” Helsley told the Post-Dispatch on the field at Globe Life on Monday. “This being my first year of being a true closer, full time, and knowing what you can and can’t pitch through — because there’s a lot of days when you don’t feel great. This year, I’ve been taking a lot of notes on how my body feels, what needs attention. That’s been a big learning point. We have a lot of games left, so it’s big for me to figure out ways and make sure I’m staying healthy for this full season.”

A ‘true closer’

During the course of a nine-minute conversation, Helsley returned several times to a phrase he also used to describe what’s different about his second All-Star invitation.

This time, he said, he’s a “true closer.”

He mentioned what he’s learned about the role of “true closer,” about what it means to be a “true closer,” what it takes, and the responsibilities of being a “true closer.” These are some of the same conversations the Cardinals had ahead of pivoting to a true closer.

“When you look at some of the more long-term, successful closers, not just high-leverage guys but guys who close and stay in that role year after year — not six months, not a good three-month stretch,” Cardinals pitching coach Dusty Blake said. “Consistently, there is a theme that is similar. The stress and pressure of the moment is obviously very high. You either have to be great, or you lose. There aren’t many situations in our game that revolve around either you’re good or your team loses. Stakes are high. And the margin is tiny.

“One thing to help accommodate someone in that role and with that pressure,” Blake continued, “is to maybe neutralize it a little bit and take away some of the unknowns.”

Blake recited a list of things closers don’t do that Helsley did at times.

He would enter in the middle of an inning.

He would pitch more than three outs.

He would appear in the seventh against the middle of the order one day, in the eighth the next, and maybe close out the ninth a week later.

“When you look at a lot of the traditional closers, they’re not coming in dirty (with runners on), they’re not doing multiple innings a lot,” Blake said. “It leaves some room for focus and commitment to this: ‘What can I expect today?’ He knows it’s not going to be easy, but he knows he can go out there and let it eat for three outs and let the chips fall where they may vs. he’s got to navigate this inning, come in, sit, and I don’t know how long it is. It’s hard to pitch in leverage. We wanted to look at having him think, ‘I’ve got three guys.’“

In 17 of his 32 saves, including three of his past four, Helsley has pitched an inning and faced only three batters. He’s had 32 scoreless appearances.

As far as shaping his team’s ability to win, he leads the NL with 2.7 win probability added. That is, he leads all pitchers in the NL, not just closers or relievers. He is just ahead of NL All-Star Game starter Paul Skenes. The Pirates rookie has a 2.3 WPA in 11 starts.

“He’s so dominant that if you want to talk about the effect he has on our team or other teams, other teams know they’re playing an eight-inning ballgame, and we know we’re playing an eight-inning ballgame,” starter Andre Pallante said. “That’s a powerful feeling. You feel like, hey, we’ve got nine innings to score runs, and they only have eight. Having a guy who you know can that do that, makes it easier as a team to put up some wins.“

Said Marmol: “He’s an All-Star for a reason. I think we’re seeing what he has shown the ability to do. It’s just in a more defined role.”

The road ahead

And after the All-Star break, he could close out one of the best seasons by a Cardinals closer. He already has authored the 22nd 30-save season in club history. The only other two Cardinals closer to be elected to multiple All-Star Games are Hall of Famers, Bruce Sutter and Lee Smith. Given his current pace, Helsley could take aim at Trevor Rosenthal’s club record 48 saves, set in 2015 along with a 2.10 ERA and a 2.7 WAR. Helsley currently has a 1.5 WAR and 2.36 ERA.

Only Rosenthal, Smith and the club’s career saves leader, Jason Isringhausen, have had seasons with more than 45 saves.

“Knowing what it takes to be a true closer in this game and that’s being available for 85% to 90% of the (close) games,” said Helsley, who can be a free agent after 2025 if not signed to an extension. “How much I can be available and throw and still feel pretty good. I’ve pitched through some stuff, still competed, and still got a lot of outs.”

He has kept meticulous track of how he feels day to day, how he recovers, and also how he’s blitzed through some fatigue or soreness with his 100-mph fastball. He spoke to some other “true closers” to get insight, and again and again, he heard about the power of availability. So he opted not to make himself available for Tuesday night’s showcase of the game’s top talent so that he could be available Friday for the Cardinals’ resumption of a pivotal season.

He’s done the math on what’s possible, but it’s impossible if he’s not available.

“I had seven saves in September, and seven times six is 42,” Helsley said. “If you can get six to seven saves a month that’s a pretty good year.”

What does that make 32 at the break?

“That’s pretty surreal,” he said. “You just really have to take it one day at a time, be available as much as possible, and be there to see where you’re at the end of the season.”

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