Helsley (3-4) blew the save and took the loss Sunday against the Guardians, allowing two runs on one hit and two walks over two-thirds of an inning. He didn't record a strikeout.
Helsley pitched 1.1 scoreless innings Saturday en route to a win and was called upon Sunday to secure the save, as Giovanny Gallegos was likely unavailable after appearing five times over the past nine days. Helsley struggled with the top of Cleveland's order and blew his first save since April 25. The right-hander already has four blown saves this season, which ties his mark from last year. Despite the poor outing, Helsley has been strong in May, posting a 2.77 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB over 11 appearances (13.0 innings).
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Nabs extra-inning win
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Helsley (3-3) struck out one over 1.1 perfect innings to earn the win Saturday versus the Guardians.
Helsley got the last out of the eighth inning and pitched a clean ninth to keep the game tied at 1-1. He's had some shaky outings recently, allowing three runs (two earned) over his last three appearances, but Saturday was a reminder of what he can be when he's at his best. Helsley lowered his ERA to 2.82 with a 1.16 WHIP and 29:9 K:BB over 22.1 innings. He's now tied with Giovanny Gallegos for the team lead in saves with six apiece, and Helsley's added two holds and three blown saves while splitting the closing duties.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Escapes with sixth save Tuesday
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Helsley recorded his sixth save of the season in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Reds, giving up one hit and two walks in a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out one.
The right-hander threw only 14 of 27 pitches for strikes and loaded the bases with two outs before getting Jonathan India to ground out and end the game. Helsley is suddenly fighting to find the strike zone, issuing four free passes in his last four appearances, but on the season he still has a 3.00 ERA and 28:10 K:BB through 21 innings.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Takes extra-inning loss
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Helsley (2-3) allowed an unearned run on a walk and a wild pitch while striking out three over 1.1 innings, taking the extra-inning loss Monday versus the Reds.
Helsley did his part to keep the game tied in the ninth inning, but a walk and a wild pitch put runners on the corners in the 10th. Nick Senzel then delivered a sacrifice fly for the walk-off win. This was the fourth time in 17 appearances that Helsley has given up a run, though the other three instances saw him yield multiple runs. He has a 3.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 27:7 K:BB while adding five saves, two holds and three blown saves through 20 innings.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Snares win Saturday
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Helsley (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out two over one inning, earning the win Saturday over the Dodgers.
Helsley also hit a batter in the eighth inning, but he was able to work around that. He ran into trouble in the ninth, but Giovanny Gallegos was able to close out the contest. Helsley's no stranger to getting more than three outs in an appearance, so it wasn't a surprise to see him begin the ninth. His scoreless streak came to an end at 8.1 innings, and he now has a 3.38 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 24:6 K:BB through 18.2 innings on the year. He's converted five of his eight save chances and added two holds.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Notches fifth save
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Helsley recorded a save against the Brewers on Wednesday, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one batter over 1.1 scoreless innings.
Helsley entered in the eighth inning and retired one batter, then worked around a walk and a single in the ninth to close out the contest. The right-hander was plenty rested after pitching just once over the previous eight days, and he earned his fifth save of the campaign. Helsley has blown three saves, but his overall numbers are strong, as he's posted a 2.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 22:6 K:BB over 17.2 innings.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Earns first win
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Helsley (1-2) retired all six batters he faced and earned a win over Boston on Friday. He struck out four.
Helsley entered in the eighth inning with two runners on base and allowed an inherited runner to score the go-ahead run on a groundout. The Cardinals took the lead back in the ninth and Helsley struck out the side to finish the game. He's registered an 8:1 K:BB with zero earned runs over his last seven frames. Helsley's season ERA has dropped to 2.76 through 14 appearances.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Available Sunday
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Helsley (knee) said he's a "full go" for Sunday's game against the Tigers, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Helsley didn't allow a run over two-thirds of an inning Friday versus Detroit but wasn't available for Saturday's contest due to some soreness around his surgically repaired left knee, though it's apparently not much of a concern. The 28-year-old righty has given up runs in just two of his 11 outings this season, though he's only 3-for-6 in save chances and has a somewhat bloated 3.75 ERA since he allowed five runs between those two contests.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Dealing with knee soreness
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Helsley was unavailable to pitch Saturday due to knee soreness, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Helsley was noticeably absent from the mound in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Tigers. According to manager Oli Marmol, the right-hander is dealing with knee pain, which is not considered to be serious. The team is hopeful that Helsley will be able to go in Sunday's series finale with Detroit.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Charged with loss
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Helsley (0-2) was charged with a loss and a blown save Tuesday against the Giants after giving up three runs (zero earned) on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.
Helsley was called upon in the ninth to protect a two-run lead and found himself in some quick trouble. Joc Pederson reached to kick things off on an error by Tommy Edman and Mike Yastrzemski followed with an RBI double. The right-hander retired the next two batters before Blake Sabol crushed a slider to center field to walk it off for the Giants. The 2022 All-Star is now 3-for-6 in save chances over the first month of the season and owns a 1.93 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 13:4 K:BB over 9.1 innings. Manager Oliver Marmol has not commented on the current closer situation for the Cardinals, but it could be assumed that Helsley's grip on the role is loosening. Giovanny Gallegos has yet to give up a run over 8.1 innings so far this season.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Blows save Saturday
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Helsley allowed an inherited runner to score and surrendered two hits and a walk while striking out two over 1.1 innings Saturday versus the Pirates. He was charged with a blown save.
Helsley entered with one on and two outs in the eighth inning and gave up a game-tying RBI double to Rodolfo Castro. Through six appearances, Helsley is 3-for-5 in save chances with an 0-1 record and a 10:3 K:BB. It appears he's had some bad luck this season with a 1.57 WHIP across seven innings, but until some of the hits he's allowing turn into outs, he could be in danger of losing some save chances to Giovanny Gallegos.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Strikes out two in third save
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Helsley picked up the save in Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Rockies, striking out two over a perfect ninth inning.
After blowing his first save opportunity of the season, Helsley has been lights out. He hasn't allowed a run in four straight appearances (4.2 innings) and has at least two strikeouts in each of those games.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Secures second save
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Helsley earned the save Tuesday in Colorado after he allowed two hits and no walks during a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out two.
Helsley gave up singles to the first two batters he faced, but he rebounded to retire the next three hitters on just 10 pitches. The 28-year-old surrendered two runs and took a blown save in his season debut, but he's been unscored upon with two saves in his past three outings.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Notches first save of season
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Helsley gave up two hits and struck out two over 1.2 scoreless innings Saturday to record his first save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
After blowing his first save chance of the year Thursday, Helsley was called upon to quell a Toronto rally in the top of the eighth, then stayed in the game and created a jam of his own in the ninth before escaping. The right-hander is coming off an outstanding 2022 in which he recorded 19 saves, and with Giovanny Gallegos (back) currently unavailable, Helsley doesn't have much competition for ninth-inning work even if he continues to run into trouble.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Blown save in 2023 debut
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Helsley (0-1) blew the save and took the loss in Thursday's 10-9 loss against the Blue Jays. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk without a strikeout in his one inning.
Tasked with nailing down a 9-8 win, Helsley proceeded to walk the first batter he faced before surrendering back-to-back singles to blow the save. Vladimir Guerrero later gave the Blue Jays the lead with a sacrifice fly, sticking Helsley with the loss. Jordan Hicks had already blown a lead himself the prior inning while Giovanny Gallegos (back) did not appear in the game.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Racking up the strikeouts
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Helsley struck out all three batters he faced in a Grapefruit League appearance Wednesday against the Mets.
Helsley did the same in his previous Grapefruit League outing Sunday versus the Nationals. The hard-throwing 28-year-old carries top-tier fantasy closer upside into the 2023 campaign after dominating to the tune of a 1.25 ERA with 94 strikeouts over 64.2 regular-season innings for the Cardinals in 2022. He jammed his right middle finger just before the playoffs and aggravated it in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Phillies, but there has been no apparent carryover this spring.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Loses arb case versus STL
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Helsley lost his arbitration case against the Cardinals and will make $2.15 million in 2023, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Helsley had asked for a $3 million salary in his first turn through arbitration eligibility. The right-hander registered a dominant 1.25 ERA with 94 strikeouts and 19 saves over 64.2 regular-season innings in 2022 before his sudden collapse in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Phillies. He is expected to serve as the primary closer in St. Louis throughout the upcoming campaign.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: MRI clean but unavailable
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Helsley's MRI on his right middle finger came back clean Saturday, but he'll nevertheless be unavailable for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Phillies, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Helsley initially suffered the injury while fielding a groundball in his final appearance of the regular season. He didn't look like himself in Game 1 against the Phillies on Friday, losing the plate and throwing less than half of his 33 pitches for strikes while allowing four earned runs before his exit. While he's seemingly escaped a serious injury, that kind of workload will still keep him from pitching again for at least one day.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Heading for MRI
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Helsley will undergo an MRI on the middle finger of his right hand after he exited the Cardinals' loss in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Phillies on Friday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old jammed his finger Tuesday in his final appearance of the regular season and aggravated the injury Friday after he struggled with his command in the playoff opener. Helsley threw only 15 of his 33 pitches for strikes, and he was charged with the loss after he gave up four runs on a hit, two walks and a hit by pitch over one inning. The right-hander reported a lack of feeling in his fingers before he was removed from the contest, and the MRI will hopefully shed some light on the specifics of his injury.
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Cardinals' Ryan Helsley: Testing finger Thursday
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Helsley (finger) is throwing a bullpen session Thursday to help determine his availability for the NL Wild Card Series against the Phillies, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander exited Tuesday's game against the Pirates with a jammed middle finger, and his availability for the wild-card round remains up in the air. The issue doesn't appear to be a serious concern since Helsley never underwent medical imaging, and the closer could be available for Game 1 on Friday if all goes well during Thursday's session.
