Mets lose free agent to Orioles on $28 million contract: reports

The Baltimore Orioles are signing free agent pitcher Ryan Helsley to a two-year, $28 million contract, according to multiple reports Saturday.

Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the deal, which is yet to become official pending a physical.

Closer Ryan Helsley and the Baltimore Orioles are in agreement on a two-year contract with an opt-out after the first season, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Helsley, who fielded interest from teams to convert to a starter, will be the ninth-inning option for Baltimore.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2025

Katie Woo of The Athletic was first to report that Helsley’s contract is for $28 million an includes an opt-out after the first year.

Helsley saved 21 games in 2025 for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets, who also face the potential loss of free agent closer Edwin Diaz this winter.

MORE: Red Sox make trade for three-time All-Star

After he was traded to the Mets on July 30, Helsley went 0-for-4 in save chances with his new team. His struggles over the season’s final two months might have undercut his earning potential — and represented a potential bargain for Helsley’s next team.

Helsley, 31, is blessed with a sharp-breaking slider and fastball that averaged 99.3 mph last season. Despite his rocky tenure in New York, at least one team (the Detroit Tigers) was reportedly considering signing Helsley as a starter.

From 2019-25, Helsley went 31-15 with a 2.67 ERA and 105 saves for the Cardinals.

Diaz headlines a still-robust class of relief pitches on the free agent market. Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks, and Kyle Finnegan could see their stock rise in light of Helsley’s deal.

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