The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with free agent closer Ryan Helsley, sources confirmed. The deal includes an opt-out after the first season and is pending a physical. Helsley is expected to fill the closer role while Félix Bautista recovers from shoulder surgery.
Baltimore's aggressive offseason continued on Saturday with the agreement on a two-year deal worth $28 million for right-hander Ryan Helsley, according to multiple sources including MLB.com and The Athletic. The 31-year-old, a two-time All-Star and seven-year MLB veteran, brings a proven track record as a closer despite a challenging 2025 season split between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets.
Helsley posted a 3.00 ERA with 21 saves in 36 outings for the Cardinals before being traded to the Mets on July 30. In New York, he struggled with a 7.20 ERA over 22 games as a setup man, though he ended the year with seven scoreless innings in his final six appearances after addressing pitch-tipping issues. His career stats include a 2.96 ERA and 105 saves across 297 relief appearances.
The signing addresses Baltimore's need for a reliable ninth-inning option, as incumbent closer Félix Bautista recovers from right shoulder surgery and is not expected to return until late August or September 2026 at the earliest. Bautista, the 2023 Mariano Rivera Award winner, missed all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery and posted a 2.60 ERA in 35 games in 2025.
The Orioles, who finished 75-87 and last in the AL East in 2025 after playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, have preferred a dedicated closer over a committee approach. In Bautista's absence last year, they signed Craig Kimbrel, who ended with a 5.33 ERA in 57 games before being designated for assignment in mid-September.
President of baseball operations Mike Elias has prioritized bullpen and rotation upgrades following the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas. Recent moves include acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward from the Angels for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, signing center fielder Leody Taveras to a one-year, $2 million deal, and reacquiring setup man Andrew Kittredge from the Cubs on November 4. Starting pitching remains the top focus, with Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers in the mix for the rotation's upper half.