The Los Angeles Dodgers may hold a modest four-game lead in the NL West and boast one of the best offenses in baseball, yet their bullpen continues to be a defining factor in their inability to pull away from the pack.

The Mets are acquiring hard-throwing closer Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, a day before the July 31 Major League Baseball deadline, the team announced Wednesday. The Cardinals get back three minor leaguers: shortstop Jesus Baez and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.

It was a big day for the St. Louis Cardinals organization on Wednesday. The Cardinals swung two separate trades. St. Louis traded Ryan Helsley to the New York M