Ryan HelsleyBAL · RP

2026 review

Ryan Helsley worked almost exclusively as a closer for BAL, posting a 4.11 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 15.1 IP, a 30.9 K% and a 13.2 BB% over 68 BF, converting 8 SV against 1 BS across 17 games. His year kept getting interrupted: he was placed on the bereavement list Apr 22 and activated Apr 26, then placed on the 15-day IL May 1 (right elbow inflammation) retroactive to Apr 29, took a rehab assignment Jun 11 and was activated Jun 16, only to be placed back on the 15-day IL Jul 3 (right elbow discomfort) retroactive to Jun 30 and transferred to the 60-day IL Jul 19, taking another rehab assignment Sep 12; in all he missed 137 regular-season days across 2 stints. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 86, he finished 503rd of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 417 spots below, and 170th of 575 relief pitchers. In early May the TDK LABS card read his elbow imaging as clean and had him throwing again within the week, but by late Aug it still had him weeks from a return, and by late Sep it had him shut down for the season with the closer role handed off.