Ryan Helsley is sticking with Baltimore, at least for now.
The right-hander is exercising the $14 million player option in the contract he signed on Dec. 1, according to a source. After a rough first season with the Orioles, that move was the expected one.
Helsley’s year was interrupted by right elbow inflammation, and he wound up appearing in just 17 games while spending two separate stints on the injured list. He was paid $14 million this season and finished with a 4.11 ERA and 1.435 WHIP in 15 1/3 innings. He also collected eight saves, and his season ended on June 27.
After coming back from the IL and missing about six weeks, Helsley made five appearances. In a July 1 game, he warmed up in the eighth inning, then sat down and started flexing his right hand and rubbing his elbow.
That led to a lengthy recovery process. Helsley, 32, eventually made it back to a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk, but it lasted only one game - Sept. 12 in Memphis. The Orioles shut him down again, and he never reached the expanded roster.
It’s a stark contrast from what Helsley did with the Cardinals in 2024, when the two-time All-Star led the majors with 49 saves. Another season like that would have put him in position to test free agency again and chase a bigger deal. Instead, he’ll need to rebuild his value in 2027.
For the Orioles, though, there’s at least a bullpen payoff if Helsley is healthy. He can join Félix Bautista at the back end, giving manager Craig Albernaz more options late in games and a deeper setup group.
That could also make it easier to take a cautious approach with Bautista if that’s the direction the club chooses. Bautista returned for two September appearances after shoulder surgery in August 2025, and he previously missed the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery.
The Orioles still have more business ahead. Teams can exercise or decline options, and Baltimore has decisions pending on pitchers Zach Eflin, on a mutual option, and Dietrich Enns, as well as first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
The Baltimore Banner first reported Helsley’s intention to remain with the Orioles.
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