Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles Reach a Million-Dollar Agreement
Closer Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract, which includes an option to opt out of the deal after the first season. This news continues the restructuring of Baltimore’s pitching staff with one of the most sought-after relievers on the free agent market.
Although several teams tried to sign Helsley as a starter, the 31-year-old right-handed pitcher opted to remain in the role that made him a two-time All-Star and will give him the ninth inning for the Orioles, maintaining the possibility of reaching the open market after 2026.
Helsley, whose agreement is pending a physical examination, is the second addition to Baltimore’s bullpen this winter, following the reacquisition of right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge, who was traded to the Cubs. With a struggling pitching staff, the Orioles finished with a 75-87 record and finished in last place in the American League East after two consecutive postseason appearances.
Orioles’ president of baseball operations Mike Elias explored the free agent market looking for an option for the final innings and decided on Helsley, who, throughout his seven-year career, has an ERA of 2.96 in 319⅔ innings with 377 strikeouts, 133 walks, and 105 saves.
One of Helsley’s lowest moments was the last two months of the 2025 season, when, after a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Mets, he recorded an ERA of 7.20 and allowed 36 runners to reach base in 20 innings. After an All-Star performance for St. Louis in 2024, which included 49 saves, National League leader, and an ERA of 2.04, Helsley saved 21 games with a solid 3.00 ERA for the Cardinals before being sent to the Mets.
Acquired to bolster a New York bullpen led by closer and also free agent Edwin Díaz, Helsley struggled during his time with the Mets. He blew saves in three consecutive appearances in mid-August and spent most of the last month working in low-pressure situations, as New York collapsed and failed to reach the postseason.
Baltimore saw more positive than negative signs in Helsley’s slump and is confident that his pitching quality, which metrics rate as one of the best in the game, will bring him back to dominance. Helsley uses one of the fastest fastballs in baseball, averaging 99.3 mph in 2025, according to Statcast, ranking in the 99th percentile of all pitchers.
With closer Felix Bautista, who is expected to miss the 2026 season after undergoing rotator cuff and labrum surgeries in August, the Orioles began the winter with only right-handed pitcher Yennier Cano and left-hander Keegan Akin as veteran bullpen options. In addition to Helsley and Kittredge, Baltimore could add another reliever, according to sources.
The Orioles’ need for pitching help isn’t limited to their bullpen. Following the trade of Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for left fielder Taylor Ward, Baltimore continues to seek starting pitcher options to join left-hander Trevor Rogers and right-hander 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 until he joined the Cardinals’ Major League roster. From 2022 to 2024, he was arguably the most valuable reliever in the National League, along with right-hander Devin Williams, whom the Orioles also spoke with.
