Ryan Helsley Signs with Orioles

Ryan Helsley won’t be playing for the Queen’s next season. Recently traded to the Mets during last season’s deadline, Helsley has now signed a two-year contract with the Orioles worth a reported $28 million, as confirmed by Jon Heyman.

The contract allows for an opt-out after the first year, and he’s anticipated to pitch about nine innings with the Orioles.

This marks Helsley as Baltimore’s second addition to their bullpen. Earlier this month, the team re-acquired Andrew Kittridge from the Cubs, having initially sent him there at the trade deadline.

Over his seven-year career, the 31-year-old pitcher has really established himself as one of Major League Baseball’s leading closers, sporting a 2.96 ERA, 377 strikeouts, and 105 saves across 297 games.

Interestingly, he notched an MLB-high 49 saves in 2024 and has made two All-Star appearances during his career.

However, his stint with the Mets hasn’t been great. He struggled significantly, recording a notable 7.20 ERA over 20 innings in New York.

Observations during his time there suggested that Helsley was pitching with a slant, which probably contributed to his lack of success in Queens.

He mentioned previously that while he attempted to adjust his glove and hand positions to conceal the slant in his deliveries, he faced some issues with the Cardinals too, though not on the same scale.

“As a pitcher, you might get called out sometimes. It’s part of the game,” Helsley shared back in August. “But when an entire inning goes by and multiple outs are made, and hitters look too comfortable, it starts giving you that uneasy feeling.”

Despite his efforts to fix that slope, he just hasn’t been able to find that previous success he enjoyed with the Cardinals.