Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles Reach a Million-Dollar Agreement
Star closer Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract, which includes an opt-out after the first season. This significant signing continues the rebuilding of Baltimore’s pitching staff, securing one of the most coveted relievers on the free agent market.
Despite interest from several teams in converting Helsley to a starter, the 31-year-old right-handed pitcher opted to remain in the role that made him a two-time All-Star. With this agreement, Helsley will handle the ninth inning for the Orioles, maintaining the flexibility to test the open market after 2026.
Helsley, whose agreement is subject to a physical examination, is the second addition to Baltimore’s bullpen this winter. Previously, the team reacquired right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge from the Cubs, after having traded him to Chicago at the trade deadline. After a difficult season, the Orioles sought to strengthen their pitching staff, which led them to focus on Helsley.
Orioles’ president of baseball operations Mike Elias actively sought options for the closing of the game in the free agent market, and Helsley became the main choice. Throughout his seven-year career, Helsley has maintained an ERA of 2.96 in 319.2 innings pitched, with 377 strikeouts, 133 walks, and 105 saves.
Helsley’s performance in the last two months of the 2025 season was notably poor, recording an ERA of 7.20 and allowing 36 runners in 20 innings after a trade from St. Louis to the New York Mets. Following his outstanding performance in the 2024 All-Star Game, where he led the National League with 49 saves and an ERA of 2.04, Helsley earned 21 saves with a solid 3.00 ERA for the Cardinals before the trade deadline.
Acquired to bolster New York’s bullpen, led by closer Edwin Díaz, Helsley struggled during his time with the Mets, blowing saves in three consecutive appearances in mid-August. He spent most of the last month working in low-pressure situations, as New York crumbled and failed to qualify for the postseason.
Baltimore sees more potential than problems in Helsley’s decline, trusting that his pitching quality, which according to metrics is among the best in the game, will return him to his dominance. Helsley possesses one of the most powerful fastballs in baseball, averaging 99.3 mph in 2025, which placed him in the 99th percentile of all pitchers.
With closer Felix Bautista out of action in 2026 due to rotator cuff and labrum surgeries, the Orioles began the winter with only Yennier Cano and Keegan Akin as veteran options in the bullpen. In addition to Helsley and Kittredge, Baltimore could add another reliever.
The need for reinforcements for the Orioles’ pitching staff is not limited to the bullpen. Following the trade of Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for left fielder Taylor Ward, Baltimore continues to seek options for the starting rotation, to join Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish at the top of their rotation.
Helsley, selected in the fifth round from Northeastern State in Oklahoma, was a full-time starter in the minor leagues before joining the Cardinals’ Major League roster. From 2022 to 2024, he was arguably the most valuable reliever in the National League.
