The Orioles remained hopeful that they could get back Félix Bautista sometime after the break, but they had to find a closer to assist in their push to go from last place to first in 2026.
They didn’t wait for the Winter Meetings.
Multiple reports have the Orioles agreeing to terms with closer Ryan Helsley on a two-year, $28 million deal pending the results of a physical. The contract includes an opt-out.
Bautista had surgery in August to repair his labrum and rotator cuff. He didn’t pitch after July 20, and he missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from ligament-reconstructive surgery in his right elbow.
Helsley, 31, was drawing interest from the Tigers as a potential starter, but all 297 of his appearances in seven major league seasons came in relief. He led the majors with 49 saves in 53 chances with the Cardinals in 2024, made his second All-Star team and finished ninth in National League Cy Young voting. He also won the Trevor Hoffman award as the league’s top reliever.
Over a three-season span, Helsley posted ERAs of 1.25, 2.45 and 2.04 with St. Louis but was traded to the Mets this summer for three minor leaguers. He struggled with his new team, allowing 16 earned runs (20 total) with 11 walks in 20 innings.
Ten of his last 11 appearances with the Cardinals were scoreless. He told the media that he was tipping his pitches with the Mets, a problem that he appeared to correct.
Helsley is 31-18 with a 2.96 ERA, 1.173 WHIP and 105 saves in his career. He averages 10.6 strikeouts and 0.8 home runs per nine innings.
MLBTradeRumors.com ranked Helsley as the No. 36 free agent on the market and projected that he’d receive a two-year, $24 million deal.
The Cardinals drafted Helsley in the fifth round in 2015 out of Northeastern State University.
The Orioles haven’t confirmed the deal. ESPN was first with the agreement and The Athletic with the money.
The bullpen still could use some reinforcements, but the unit is stronger with Helsley and Andrew Kittredge, who returned to the team in a trade with the Cubs.
“We’re trying to make an external addition there, so working on that right now,” president of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias said last week. “I can’t say things with 100 percent certainty, but we’re making every effort to make external additions to the bullpen and in particular an experienced ninth-inning guy if we can.”
He did.
