Ryan Helsley To Exercise Player Option

From 2022-24, Helsley was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. He saved 82 games and tallied nine holds with St. Louis across those three seasons, pitching to a collective 1.83 ERA with a 34.6% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk rate. The flamethrowing righty averaged better than 99 mph with his heater during that time and regularly popped triple-digit readings on radar guns. His 17.4% swinging-strike rate across those three years was eighth-best among 185 qualified relievers.

As the Cards transitioned into a retool/rebuild, Helsley’s name was bandied about the 2024-25 offseason’s rumor circuit. The Cards ultimately held onto him into the year — a decision that looked questionable when Helsley stumbled through a relatively shaky start to his season. He’d gotten back on track by the time the 2025 trade deadline rolled around, and St. Louis flipped him to the Mets for a three-prospect package headlined by infielder Jesús Báez, who could make his debut with the Cards next year. (Not to be confused with outfielder Joshua Báez, who already debuted with the Cards in 2026.)

The Mets fit was a disaster. Helsley was healthy but allowed 16 runs in 20 frames with New York. His struggles — eventually attributed to Helsley tipping his pitches — contributed to the team’s stunning collapse and postseason miss. It was a sour note on which to end the platform year for an impending free agent who just months earlier looked ticketed for a massive free agent payout.

Helsley still cashed in on a nice two-year contract, providing him the safety of a sizable guarantee with an opportunity to return to market if his first season in Baltimore went well. It was less than half what he might’ve earned with a strong ’25 showing, but he still landed in a decent spot.

Unfortunately, multiple trips to the IL owing to elbow inflammation and elbow discomfort left him with 15 1/3 frames of a 4.11 ERA. Helsley’s 98.7 mph average fastball was still blistering but down a full mile per hour from his peak. His 30.9% strikeout rate and 16.5% swinging-strike rate were in similar boats — both excellent, if not elite numbers that still marked a step back from Helsley’s top form. The righty’s 13.2% walk rate, however, was the worst he’s ever posted in a 162-game season.

There’s no indication that Helsley needs surgery or will miss time in 2027. He’ll take aim at a healthier showing next year, when the O’s are also set to welcome back former All-Star closer Felix Bautista, who missed the 2026 season after undergoing shoulder surgery late in the 2025 season — an injury that contributed to the team’s signing of Helsley in the first place.

“Ifs” don’t come much bigger than this, but if both are healthy and back in their typical form next year, Bautista and Helsley could form one of the most dominant one-two punches of any bullpen in the sport. A setup corps that includes Yennier Cano and Rico Garcia only furthers Baltimore’s bullpen depth. They’ll still be in the mix for relief help this winter — as are all teams — but the foundation that’s in place has an extraordinarily high ceiling if everything clicks.