Orioles make first big free agency move by signing high upside pitcher

A few days after confirming the Baltimore Orioles were looking for a high-leverage option for the ninth inning, Mike Elias has found his man. ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Orioles have signed All-Star closer Ryan Helsley to a two-year deal.

During the early stages of free agency, Helsley made headlines with teams like the Detroit Tigers expressing interest in him as a starting pitcher. It didn't quite make sense, considering Helsley has largely been a two-pitch pitcher throughout his career and has never started a game at the Major League level.

Despite the need in the rotation, the Baltimore Orioles' first big free agency signing of the offseason addresses the bullpen.

For teams in the market for a closer but not wanting to pay for one of the high-end names--Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, and Robert Suarez--Helsley, considering his struggles with the New York Mets to close out the season, was going to be an ideal fallback option. That belief proved to be true, with Helsley set to earn $28 million over his next two seasons in Baltimore.

During his run as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer, Helsley was a two-time All-Star and ascended toward being one of the best late-inning options in the National League. His time with the Mets, after being traded at the deadline, was a different story.

Helsley struggled in New York, posting a 7.20 ERA in 20 innings pitched. The good news is that the belief is the 31-year-old veteran was tipping his pitches. With a revamped coaching staff and Craig Albernaz coming from the Cleveland Guardians, the Orioles likely feel pretty confident that they can get his issues corrected.

After decimating their bullpen at the deadline last season, and Felix Bautista likely missing most of the 2026 campaign, one of the goals for the Orioles was to rebuild their relief core. It started at the beginning of the season, when they got Andrew Kittredge back from the Chicago Cubs, and Helsley now gives them a suitable replacement for Bautista.

Of course, the Orioles still have a glaring need in their rotation. The fact that Baltimore's first two major moves of the offseason--trading for Taylor Ward and, now, signing Helsley--did not address the rotation, the next move better be for a starting pitcher. Otherwise, Elias will be repeating a mistake he has made in the past.