Orioles take bold chance on two-time All-Star after stunning 2025 collapse

Orioles take bold chance on two-time All-Star after stunning 2025 collapse originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed right-hander Ryan Helsley to a two-year contract, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal will become official once Helsley passes a physical, and it includes an opt-out after the 2026 season.

While there had been reports recently that teams were interested in converting Helsley to a starter, Passan reports he will be the Orioles' ninth-inning guy.

For the Orioles, the move brings in a former All-Star closer whose 2025 season went sideways after a midseason trade to the New York Mets. Helsley entered last year with some of the best credentials in baseball: he saved 49 games in 2024, led the majors in that category and was widely regarded as one of the top late-inning weapons in the league. But the transition to Queens proved difficult, and he posted a 7.20 ERA in 22 appearances with the Mets while showing significant command issues in high-leverage situations.

Baseball Savant data shows that the raw tools never disappeared. His fastball still averaged in the upper-90s and touched triple digits at times, and the slider and cutter continued to generate above-average movement. FanGraphs numbers also show the velocity and pitch shapes were intact, but his walk rate rose dramatically after the trade and hitters capitalized on missed locations. Multiple reports during the season suggested that tipping pitches may have contributed to his struggles.

Baltimore is betting that the problems were mechanical rather than physical, and that the environmental change will help him return to form. That gamble reflects the cost of reliable late-inning arms on the market and executive Mike Elias’ recent comments that the Orioles were still searching for an experienced ninth-inning option this offseason. Helsley’s track record from 2022–2024 made him one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, and the Orioles are hoping that version can re-emerge quickly.

The structure of the contract gives Helsley an opportunity to rebuild value, and the Orioles a chance to land a high-upside bullpen piece at a time when they are trying to solidify the back end of their staff. If he regains his command and cleans up the issues that surfaced with the Mets, this could turn into a significant addition for Baltimore. If the struggles continue, the deal becomes a short-term experiment on a once-elite closer looking for a reset.