The media’s fascination with baseball closers and the mentality required to succeed at the job runs at such a high level that Ryan Helsley was asked about it twice yesterday during his introductory video call.
Helsley has looked at pitching life from many sides, working as a starter at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and in the minors, being a reliever in the majors and going from ninth-inning All-Star specialist to more of a setup role this year with the Mets.
The deadline trade that brought Helsley from the Cardinals contributed to the Mets’ freefall. His ERA climbed from 2.77 after his third appearance with his new team to 5.14 after his 16th.
Though open to the idea of starting again, which the Tigers wanted him to do, Helsley found his ideal match with the Orioles, who needed him to close and were willing to pay him $28 million over two years but also let him opt out after the first.
Félix Bautista was an All-Star in 2023, winning the American League’s Reliever of the Year award but undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. He’s on the shelf again, this time recovering from a procedure to repair his labrum and rotator cuff.
Helsley led the majors with 49 saves in 2024, a Cardinals’ record. He’s comfortable taking the ball in the ninth. He wants it.
“I’ve been in the closer role for four years, parts of four years, in St. Louis,” he said. “And when you’re in a closer role, you have pretty set variables that you know you’re looking at to when you’re going to come in the game and certain circumstances, where if you’re an eighth-inning guy, your bandwidth is a little wider and you have more opportunity and you’ve just got to be ready for more.
“I think it (struggling) was just a combination of a little bit of everything – not making pitches and trying to adjust to the new role and maybe trying to do a little too much.”
The subject of closing came up again later in the interview. Helsley expressed his gratitude to his mentors with the Cardinals and other teammates who had the job.
“Jason Isringhausen was a big one in St. Louis for me,” he said. “I remember my rookie year, I was having a pretty strong rookie year and then my last couple outings I gave up a home run in the very last one to the Cubs. I think I gave up a three-run home run (to Robel García.) I only had like 35 innings, and my ERA jumped like a whole point or maybe a little more than a point, and that was our last game before the postseason.
“I remember Izzy sitting down with me at breakfast that morning, and he was just like, ‘Who cares? Just go to the next one, keep pitching like you have.’ I think just having that mindset and also having Andrew Miller in the bullpen with me my first three years was huge. Just figuring out how to be a good reliever and be a good teammate. I just try to be the same guy every day and try to prepare and move onto the next. Whether it was good or bad yesterday, I’ve got to be ready for today.”
The Orioles have a much better chance to make the playoffs after their last-place finish if Helsley is back in form.
“Definitely think that’s something that I can help with,” he said. “I know (Andrew) Kittredge has played a lot in the postseason, too, and pitched in a lot of big games. I’m excited to meet these guys and hopefully be a veteran these guys can lean on and talk to and bring some insight for these guys. It’s a long season, so we’ll see how it goes, and hopefully we add to our team and continue to make us a little better.”
Helsley has spoken with new manager Craig Albernaz, the man who’s going to trust him with those late leads.
“Alby seems awesome,” Helsley said. “He was in Cleveland and I have a good buddy who played there with him for a couple years, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about him, so I can’t wait to meet him in person, get to know him. Spend the next couple years with him.”
Or at least one.
The opt-out could make for a short stay. We don’t know how much the possibility of a lockout might influence the decision.
Helsley needs his four-seam fastball to stay off the barrel. Opponents hit .422 and slugged .667 against it this year, compared to .276 and .367 in 2024, .224 and .328 in 2023, and .150 and .233 in 2022. The slider became his primary pitch last year and it’s one of the best in baseball. The average-against beginning in 2021 is .158, .113, .113, .171 and .140.
“Oddly enough, I think this last year is probably the worst year of my career statistically, but models, personal feel, everything was as good as it’s ever been, or maybe better,” Helsley said. “Hopefully just keep progressing and working. I can’t wait to get to spring to try to fine-tune things and possibly add another pitch or something and get to work with the coaching staff.
“I think just throwing more sliders, just kind of a product of the game. Guys really train on hitting velo and are really good at hitting stuff that’s straight. Doesn’t matter how hard it is, especially in fastball counts. They’re really good at hitting the ball hard. Being able to throw something else in those hitters’ counts and through all counts has really helped me.
“I think this last year I just threw those fastballs in those hitters counts and that kind of led to the ballooned ERA and a tough year overall.”
An elevated arm slot must shoulder some of the blame, and the Orioles will work with Helsley on keeping it from being too vertical.
“I think the raised arm angle hurt my fastball a little bit, just guys being able to pick it up a little sooner and not being able to stay through it as well as I had in the past,” Helsley said. “So just trying to get that perfect arm slot, whatever degree that is, probably five or six degrees lower than whatever it is right now and try to be able to reinforce that and just be able to repeat it throughout the season.”
Note: The Rays reached agreement with former Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins on a $7 million contract for 2026, according to reports. The deal was pending a physical.
Mullins spent parts of eight seasons with the Orioles after they drafted him in the 13th round in 2015 out of Campbell University. He’s the only 30-homer, 30-stolen base player in club history and made the All-Star team in 2021. He also won a Silver Slugger and finished ninth in American League Most Valuable Player voting.
Mullins stole 139 bases with the Orioles but probably will be most remembered for the numerous spectacular catches he made in center, though he never won a Gold Glove or graded well in defensive metrics.
The Orioles traded Mullins to the Mets at the deadline and he batted .182/.284/.281 in 42 games before entering free agency. He can try to increase his value with a division rival and reenter the market.
The Rays make their first visit to Camden Yards on May 25-27. They return Aug. 21-23.
