Ryan Helsley’s Surprise Move: Orioles Land Star Closer in Game-Changing $28M Deal

Ryan Helsley is set to join the Baltimore Orioles on a two-year deal that’s turning heads around the league—ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news. The contract reportedly rings in at a cool $28 million, per the inside scoop from The Athletic’s Katie Woo, and comes with a player option to opt out after the 2026 season. Not too shabby for a 31-year-old reliever who notched 21 saves last year—though all those saves came before a midseason trade from the Cardinals to the Mets shuffled him out of the closer role behind Edwin Diaz. Helsley, who’s been in the big leagues for seven seasons since the Cardinals picked him up in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Northeastern State, looks to fill a crucial gap for Baltimore, especially with Félix Bautista sidelined until late summer recovering from shoulder surgery. Orioles’ president of baseball operations Mike Elias has made no secret this offseason about hunting a closer with experience; Helsley fits that bill perfectly, and this signing signals the team’s intent to be aggressive buyers after a tough 75-87 campaign that kept them out of the playoffs for the first time in three years. With veteran hitting addressed and a frontline starter next on the wishlist, this move could be Baltimore’s first big step back toward contender status.
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Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal is worth $28 million, according to The Athletic’s Katie Woo, and features a player opt-out clause after the 2026 MLB season.

The 31-year-old Helsley recorded 21 saves last season between his time with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets.

All 21 saves, however, came with the Cardinals before he was traded in July to the Mets. In New York, he pitched 20 innings in 22 games as a reliever with Edwin Diaz firmly entrenched in the closer’s role.

Helsley has pitched in seven seasons after being a fifth-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2015 out of Northeastern State.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said during the annual GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this month that a reliever with closing experience was high on his off-season priorities list. Félix Bautista will be out of action until late summer following right shoulder surgery, meaning the closer’s job was up for grabs.

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What’s left for Elias? He’s taken care of the veteran hitter need after sending pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for Taylor Ward. Next up would be a frontline starting pitcher.

“My stated goal is to see if we can add somebody that fits into that tier,” Elias said. “That would be Plan A for our rotation.”

The Orioles finished last in the AL East in 2025 with a 75-87 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. After a down year, ownership has signaled its intention to spend this winter, hoping that the investment pays off with a return of playoff baseball.

“This is a group that’s really enabling us to invest,” Elias said. “We’re going to go out in the market, see what we’re able to do to improve the team. But we’ll definitely be behaving as buyers this season, whether it’s free agency or trade.”