Can the Mets rely on this trade deadline acquisition?

When the Mets acquired Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals during the waning hours before the trade deadline, this move finally seemed to fortify their bullpen as one of the best in baseball. The reigning NL Reliever of the Year, however, has been nothing short of a disappointment since arriving in Flushing.

After posting a 3-1 record in 36 appearances for St. Louis, posting a 3.00 ERA and converting 21 of 26 save opportunities, Helsley has massively struggled in his new role as a setup man for Edwin Díaz. In 21 outings for the Amazins' thus far, the 31-year-old is 0-3 with a dismal 7.58 ERA in just 19 innings pitched and has already blown four save chances. His overall ERA on the season now stands at 4.58 in 55 innings of work.

Helsley and Mets officials pinpointed his struggles as a result of him tipping his pitches , which was an issue the righty hurler tried to resolve. Manager Carlos Mendoza has also sent out Helsley to pitch in low-leverage situations over his last couple of appearances, and this role may be helping him rebuild his confidence.

With the Mets just barely holding onto the third and final Wild Card spot in the NL over the last several weeks, it is highly encouraging to see Helsley show signs of his full capabilities. However, with just four games left in the regular season and fellow reliever Reed Garrett out for the year, New York may have to start turning to Helsley in more high-leverage situations if they aim to play October baseball.