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Orioles' Ryan Helsley: Scoreless inning in spring debut
Rotowire
Helsley allowed one hit in a scoreless third inning during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.
After signing a two-year, $28 million contract with the Orioles in November, Helsley pounded the zone for 10 strikes among his 12 pitches in his spring debut. The 31-year-old right-hander's fastball velocity topped out at 97.7 mph, and he'll likely be looking to increase that as spring training progresses. With Felix Bautista (shoulder) likely to miss 2026, Helsley is gearing up to function as Baltimore's closer to begin the season.
Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the Orioles on Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Helsley's new deal will also give him the ability to opt out after the first season. Multiple teams were pursuing the right-hander with hopes of converting him to a starter, but Passan states that Helsley will remain in a closing role upon joining the Orioles. The 31-year-old got off to a strong start this past season in St. Louis, posting a 3.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP alongside 41:14 K:BB across 36 innings and tallying 21 saves. He then regressed considerably after being traded to the Mets and finished the year giving up 16 earned runs over his final 20 frames. Despite his poor finish, Helsley still boasts a career 2.96 ERA and is just one year removed from tallying an MLB-high 49 saves in 2024, keeping him worthy of fantasy attention next season.
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Ryan Helsley: Most comfortable in ninth inning
Rotowire
Helsley has received inquiries from teams about transitioning to the rotation, but he is more comfortable in a closer's role, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Roughly 15 teams have contacted the free agent righty, per the report, and the Tigers view Helsley as a potential starting pitcher. He is considering adding a two-seamer or changeup to his arsenal in 2026 to be less predictable, and another pitch would aid him in a move to the rotation, but Helsley has been a reliever for the last six years. "I know what I'm capable of as a reliever," Helsley said. "I think I still have a lot to give and can get even better. I've shown what I can do as a closer when I'm in that role. It's a really fun time to be in the game. It's the most important three outs of the game, but I still think I'm capable and able to be a starter."
Helsley thinks his struggles since joining the Mets are a result of tipping pitches, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. "I think I know how to fix it," the right-hander said Thursday. "So it's just being able to enforce that and that being my mental norm versus what I was doing to get my body to accept that and reinforce that."
The former Cardinals closer has a brutal 10.38 ERA, 2.31 WHIP and 11:7 K:BB in 8.2 innings with the Mets, and he's been tagged with multiple earned runs in four of his last six appearances. "It definitely stinks," Helsley said. "I've never gone through anything like this in my career." He's still looking for his first hold for New York after being acquired at the trade deadline to be the top set-up man for Edwin Diaz, instead taking three losses and getting charged with four blown saves.
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