The Baltimore Orioles have a decision to make.
The Baltimore Orioles entered Wednesday with an 11-13 record looking to get back on track with a series win against the Kansas City Royals. Baltimore’s bullpen has been leaned on heavily through the first month of the season. Unfortunately, the club's closer, Ryan Helsley, has stepped away from the team to deal with a personal matter.
Before Wednesday’s game against the Royals, the Orioles announced that right-hander Jose Espada had been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk after they placed right-handed closer Ryan Helsley on the bereavement/family medical emergency list.
Espada’s arrival fills a roster spot, but it does not answer the far more pressing question: Who closes games while Helsley is away? The Orioles could be without their All-Star closer for up to a week, a significant stretch for a team that has relied on him to stabilize the back end of the bullpen throughout April.
Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million contract this offseason with a player option for 2027, a deal widely viewed as a bargain given his track record as a two-time All-Star and former NL Reliever of the Year.
Baltimore believed it was buying low after Helsley struggled in the second half last season with the New York Mets, and he has largely lived up to expectations so far.
Despite taking his second loss of the year on Tuesday against Kansas City, Helsley has collected six saves, posted a 2.79 ERA and struck out 15 batters across 9 2/3 innings. His power arm and late-inning reliability has been essential to the Orioles in 2026. Last year Baltimore’s bullpen was a disaster, and Helsley is helping change that narrative.
Now, with Helsley temporarily gone, the Orioles must determine who handles the ninth inning. The most obvious answer is Yennier Cano.
Cano has spent the last five seasons in Baltimore and is off to a strong start in 2026, allowing just one run in his first 7 1/3 innings while striking out nine.
He was an All-Star in 2023 and has experience closing games, recording 15 career saves. His familiarity with high-leverage situations make him the natural choice.
Espada’s recall gives Baltimore another arm, but the responsibility of protecting late leads will fall on Cano and the rest of the bullpen until Helsley returns. For a team trying to avoid slipping further in the American League East standings, navigating the ninth inning without its best reliever will be a big test.