SARASOTA, Fla. — The Orioles brought in Ryan Helsey to close games, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do. No more, no less.
Manager Craig Albernaz said in his pregame news conference at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday that Helsey will be used exclusively in save situations this season. The right-hander was the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer for the better part of the past three years until shifting to a high-leverage role with the New York Mets after being traded at last summer’s deadline.
“He’ll be our ninth-inning guy,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “With Helsley, as we move forward, it’s going to be he’ll be the ninth-inning guy and whatever he feels like is best, or he wants to go, we’ll adjust to there. But right now, he’s slated for the ninth inning.”
Helsley, 31, joined Baltimore over the offseason on a two-year, $28 million deal with an opt-out after 2026. A poor second half in New York likely cost the two-time All-Star and 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winner a larger payday in free agency, and he’ll have the chance to reenter the market next winter if he returns to form.
In 2023, with former manager Brandon Hyde on the bench, the Orioles used right-hander Félix Bautista as a closer and multi-inning reliever who often converted four-, five- and six-out saves. Albernaz didn’t anticipate using Helsey in that fashion.
“That’s tough,” Albernaz said. “In the postseason, it’s easier to do that. Over 162, it’s really tough to stretch closers and back-end guys out for six outs, just because now it’s the sheer volume of innings and pitches total on that arm is tough to navigate. So, for me, I just view him as a one-inning guy.”
Helsley has typically only pitched an inning per appearance throughout his career. Since 2023, he’s pitched in 156 games and tallied 159 innings. His presence was necessitated when Bautista, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and missed the entire next season, tore his rotator cuff and labrum in his shoulder; he’s expected to miss at least the first half of the 2026 campaign.
Though keeping Helsley healthy is paramount to the success of a bullpen that’s already expected to be without setup man Andrew Kittredge to start the year. Who will be trusted to protect the Orioles’ leads in the innings leading up to the ninth is still being sorted out in spring training.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/ByMattWeyrich and instagram.com/bymattweyrich. Matt appears as a regular host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast.
