New York Mets reliever is on the market at this time. With a new manager on board, would he want someone like Helsley coming out of his bullpen?
Ryan Helsley had a topsy-turvy 2025 season as he split time between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets.
Helsley put together a 49-save season in 2024 and posted 29 more while with the Cardinals in 2025. But Helsley was traded to the Mets and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was hoping he could deliver a much-needed boost to his team's bullpen.
How did that work out? It didn't.
During his time with the Mets, Helsley only recorded seven saves and had a sky-high ERA of 7.20. It's almost like every time Helsley took the mound for the Mets, he was hittable.
How can a pitcher like Helsley go from being pretty much lights out in St. Louis to almost having his lights go out at Citi Field?
It's something worth looking at with a magnifying glass.
Well, Helsley is out on the free agent market right now. What MLB team might be looking to bolster its bullpen and potentially offer a deal for him?
One team in the mix might be the Texas Rangers.
In a recent article on The Athletic, the publication offered potential Black Friday-type deals for every MLB team. For the Rangers, the selection from The Athletic is Helsley.
"By cutting loose outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, the Rangers freed up money to spend for 2026," the article indicates. "By taking on the contract of Brandon Nimmo, owner Ray Davis saved some cash in 2026 while taking on more money in the long term.
"The team should lean into its pitching strength from 2025," according to the article. "Helsley combusted during his time with the Mets this past summer, but a good chunk of that failure could be chalked up to pitch tipping."
If that pitch tipping issue can get corrected, then Helsley might be able to regain his form that he had in St. Louis.
New Rangers manager Skip Schumaker needs some help in his bullpen. Of course, every MLB team could use another trusted name in the bullpen.
Helsley has proven, over his career, that he can get saves when necessary. In 2022 and 2023, Helsley posted 19 and 14 saves, respectively. He has a career ERA just below 3 in seven MLB seasons.
Maybe the Rangers chat with Helsley or his agent at the upcoming Winter Meetings. It's possible that Helsley sees himself wearing a Rangers uniform when Spring Training begins before the 2025 MLB season.