With the loss (again) of Felix Bautista, the Baltimore Orioles were tasked with finding a high leverage reliever this offseason that could reliably close games and (hopefully) do so in dominating fashion. On the surface, the Orioles look to have done just that after signing Ryan Helsley to a two-year deal. A closer look, however, reveals a more complicated picture.
Helsley was easily one of MLB's best relievers from 2022-2024 where he posted a combined 1.83 ERA across 152 appearances thanks to his cannon of an arm and propensity to miss bats. However, he struggled last season, especially after being dealt to the New York Mets at the trade deadline.