Cardinals Promote RHP Ryan Helsley From Triple-A to Provide Bullpen Depth

After a week that's seen the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen stretched a bit thin, they're bringing in reinforcements.

Following a wild 12-11 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, the Cardinals promoted right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley to the big leagues. In a corresponding move, they optioned infielder Edmund Sosa to Triple-A.

Helsley, the Cards No. 9 overall prospect, has had a number of short stints with the big-league club this season, but he's been unable to stick. That doesn't mean that he's pitched poorly, though; in fact, he's shown some impressive stuff.

The 25-year-old has pitched to a 3.48 ERA in 7 appearances this year, with a 0.968 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 10.1 innings. He's got an electric fastball that tops out in the high-90s and balances it out with a diverse pitching arsenal.

One of these times, Helsley will likely pitch well enough to remain on the major league roster. With the expansion of rosters in September quickly approaching, we'll see if Helsley seizes this opportunity to become a permanent stalwart in the Cardinals bullpen.