Ryan Helsley Makes Baltimore Orioles Contract Decision

Ryan Helsley is staying with the Baltimore Orioles. According to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, the right-hander exercised his $14 million player option for 2027, keeping him under the two-year, $28 million contract he signed with the Orioles last December.

The decision makes sense for both sides, even after a tough first season in Baltimore. Helsley appeared in only 17 games in 2026, posting a 4.11 ERA with eight saves and 21 strikeouts over 15 1/3 innings before right elbow inflammation ended his year after June 27.

He made two stints on the injured list and did not return even as he progressed toward a September comeback. With the Orioles out of contention at 75-79, the organization shut him down rather than risk further damage.

He is expected to be ready for spring training, though the recovery timeline will dictate how quickly he can build up.

Helsley recorded a career-high 49 saves with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024 before being traded at the 2025 trade deadline to the New York Mets. He struggled with the Mets. However, Baltimore still signed him to be the team's closer while Felix Bautista recovered from right shoulder surgery.

Bautista returned in late September and made two appearances, giving the Orioles a potential high-leverage pairing if both pitchers are healthy in 2027.

That is a big if. Bautista is coming off shoulder surgery and logged just 1 2/3 innings last season. Helsley threw fewer than 16 innings before his elbow shut him down. The Orioles are banking on two premium relievers who combined for roughly 18 innings in 2026.

For Helsley, the option was straightforward. An injury-shortened season tanks leverage on the open market. Taking the guaranteed $14 million eliminates that uncertainty. For Baltimore, the alternative was letting a proven closer with 49 saves a couple years ago walk and replacing him through a free agent market that does not have many better options.

The Orioles finished fourth in the AL East last season. The bullpen was one of several problem areas on a team that missed the postseason for a second straight year. Helsley returning healthy would immediately address one of those issues.

Whether the bullpen is actually fixed depends entirely on how both relievers hold up. Depth behind Helsley and Bautista will still need to be addressed this winter. But keeping Helsley locked in at a set number gives the organization a foundation to build around rather than a hole to fill.