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CLEVELAND — A couple of days prior to taking the mound Saturday at Progressive Field for a save opportunity against the Guardians, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley tried to think back to his first save opportunity but couldn’t quite remember that moment.

Closing in on 100 saves for his career, the two-time All-Star closer searched his memory after being reminded by his mother that the next save opportunity he would convert would give him triple digits for his career.

Although he couldn’t think back to save No. 1, the possibility of No. 100 crossed Helsley’s mind in the eighth inning. When he began warming in the bullpen and in the moments after he completed a 1-2-3 inning on 11 pitches, Helsley said he did not think about the milestone until someone reminded him of it after the Cardinals secured a 9-6 win.

“It’s pretty surreal,� Helsley said Saturday. “In the moment, you’re not really thinking about it. When you look back and think about 100 saves, I don’t know how many people have done that in their career, but I’m sure it’s not too many people. But it’s pretty surreal. I’m grateful, and I give all the glory to God.�

The 100th save for Helsley made him the 15th active player to reach that mark and the sixth player in Cardinals history to do so. Helsley is the 151st player in major league history to notch 100 saves since they became an official stat in 1969.

With his 100th save, Helsley sits sixth all time in Cardinals history behind Trevor Rosenthal (121), Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter (127), Todd Worrell (129), Hall of Famer Lee Smith (160) and Jason Isringhausen (217).

Helsley, 30, notched his first save on Sept. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Since ascending into a regular closer’s role in 2022, Helsley’s stability at the back end of the Cardinals bullpen has led him to two All-Star appearances, one in 2022 and the other in 2024. His 49 saves in 2024 notched a single-season franchise record.

“It’s been a learning process for sure,� Helsley said of his career. “I think one thing I’ve learned and continue to learn is that you really never have it figured out. All the greats in the game, I think, are always searching for ways to get better. They aren’t really satisfied with where they’re at or content. I think that’s something I try to take day to day and carry from each outing to the next and just try to be better and learn from it.�

The 100th save in Helsley’s career was one of a few different milestones reached by the Cardinals over the weekend in Cleveland.

In the inning before Helsley took the mound, reliever Phil Maton struck out former Cardinals Lane Thomas for the 500th strikeout of his career. Rookie Matt Svanson earned his first career win with a scoreless fifth inning. A double by Willson Contreras, who also hit a 430-foot homer in the comeback win, in the seventh inning secured hit No. 900 for his career.

“It was kind of a cool day all around,� Maton said.

Maton said his wife kept track of where he was at in strikeouts for his career.

He knew following his outing on Tuesday vs. the Cubs that he inched closer to the 500 mark and was reminded by his wife to try to get the ball from No. 500, which he did.

“Some of the other milestones, they’re cool and they’re kind of nice things to have whenever you’re done playing,� Maton said. “Five hundred, it kind of felt like an important one to try snag. Just trying to survive long enough to get it.�

Arenado leaves with discomfort

After securing a couple of milestones of his own — his 1,900th hit and 400th double of his career — on Sunday, Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado exited for “precautionary reasons� after he experienced discomfort in his right hand.

Arenado said his throwing hand had felt swollen after he injured it during a single in the fourth. On the single, Arenado said he took a misstep on the bag that caused him to lose a bit of his balance. Arenado’s helmet came off and appeared to hit him in the right hand, and he slowed his momentum to stay upright.

“I kind of hit myself or something. I don’t know,� Arenado said. “It’s been swollen. It’s kind of random. It’s OK right now. We did some treatment, but it got stiff as the game went on.�

He felt discomfort in the next half-inning and exited in the eighth inning when Jose Fermin pinch-hit for him.

Following the series win, Arenado said his hand felt “better� and wasn’t as stiff.

Nootbaar, Walker

Lars Nootbaar was absent from the Cardinals’ starting lineup after he experienced some discomfort near his left ribcage following a check swing in his final at-bat Saturday. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said he wanted to give Nootbaar all of Sunday off before reevaluating him when the Cardinals open a three-game series in Pittsburgh on Monday.

Marmol said Nootbaar could be in a spot where he receives “multiple days� and returns on Tuesday. Nootbaar, who missed games earlier this week with an intercostal injury, remained in Saturday’s game after being checked out by a team trainer.

Jordan Walker (appendicitis) went 1 for 4 in a rehab game for Class AAA Memphis on Saturday.

Walker, who is on the 10-day injured list, reportedly came out of the game feeling well after hitting from the designated hitter spot and was slated to start in right field Sunday for Memphis.

Walker is eligible to come off the IL on Thursday and could be activated ahead a road series vs. the Cubs series that begins on July 4.