This Former Reliever of the Year is Destined for Bounce Back Season in Baltimore

Ryan Helsley was considered as the BEST reliever in the National League in 2024 after earning Reliever of the Year honors. 

Fast forward two seasons and Helsley is an overlooked afterthought, trying to revive his career on a brand new team. 

On November 29, 2025, Helsley inked a two-year, $28 million dollar contract (with an opt-out after 2026) with the Baltimore Orioles to be their new closer. 

Helsley could've been the top closer on the open market, but after a disastrous summer, the closer has to start from square one. 

On July 30, 2025, Helsley was traded to the New York Mets in hopes that he would strengthen their weak bullpen and help the team make the playoffs. Unfortunately for Helsley, he did more bad than good during his tenure in Queens. 

Prior to his move to New York, Helsley was doing his normal all-star stuff for the St. Louis Cardinals, racking up 21 saves while pitching to the tune of a 3.00 ERA in 36.0 innings. 

However, Helsley would struggle to regain his all-star form in New York. 

In 22 appearances, Helsley had a disastrous 7.20 ERA in 20.0 innings pitched for New York. The once best reliever in baseball was relegated from closer to your average bullpen arm. 

And just like that, Helsley's career trajectory changed. 

A wise man once said, "one mans trash is another mans treasure." In Baltimore's case, that couldn't be more true. 

Although Helsley struggled in 2025, his advanced numbers are still top closer material.

Helsley remains in the 99th percentile for fastball velocity, while being in the 79th percentile for both chase and whiff rate. 

Baltimore saw something in Helsley that many teams overlooked; high velocity and strikeouts, something that Baltimore is very familiar with having in their closing pitcher. 

Helsley is extremely similar to Baltimore's very own Felix Bautista, in the aspect that they both throw heat and generate a lot of swing and misses. 

I believe that Mike Elias, along with the rest of the front office, saw an opportunity to rejuvenate Helsley's career and help him regain his reliever of the year form, while also benefitting from his production. 

Baltimore's 4.57 bullpen ERA was 6th worst in all of baseball last season, further displaying why the move for Helsley could be worth it. 

With Bautista likely sidelined for the entire 2026 season with a rotator cuff injury, Helsley will have the opportunity to prove the entire MLB wrong for overlooking him as he is projected to be Baltimore's opening day closer. 

Mike Elias may have found another diamond in the rough.