Ryan Helsley To Sign With Orioles

Closer Ryan Helsley is signing a two-year, $28 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. The contract will include an opt-out after the first season. The signing was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, and the financial details were subsequently reported by The Athletic’s Katie Woo.

Despite reports earlier in the off-season that Helsley, 31, could be considered as an option in someone’s starting rotation, the right-handed fireballer will pitch the ninth inning for Baltimore. He will be adding to a bullpen with plenty of potential, including former All-Star Yennier Cano, while fellow All-Star Félix Bautista recovers from shoulder surgery.

Helsley was traded to the Mets as part of a deadline deal this past summer, and things couldn’t have gone much worse for either party. Helsley pitched to a 7.20 ERA in Queens, aiding the team’s four-month descent to postseason-less baseball. After widespread reports of pitch-tipping issues, Helsley was eventually taken out of high-leverage spots. The righty, with his triple-digit fastball and tumbling slider, was eventually able to find some footing in New York, throwing seven scoreless innings to end the season, but it was too-little-too-late for the Mets.

Before being traded to New York, Helsley spent his entire career in St. Louis, pitching to a 2.67 ERA in seven years, with two trips to the All-Star game.

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