Orioles stole Yankees' chance to stick it to Mets with latest free agency move

It's all now going to be a "what could have been situation" for the New York Yankees. Former closer Ryan Helsley, who felt like a fit in the Bronx, has reportedly signed a contract with the division-rival Orioles in free agency.

Yankees fans shouldn't necessarily be "concerned" by that move, but it does take an extremely cost-effective option off the market for New York.

This time last year, Ryan Helsley was one of the top relievers thought to be on the trade block. The former St. Louis Cardinal was coming off a 2024 campaign in which he posted a 2.04 ERA and an MLB-leading 49 saves. While the Cardinals played hardball with their relief ace, the New York Yankees targeted another NL Central closer, making the ill-fated move for Devin Williams.

The Yankees and their crosstown rival, the New York Mets, are projected to battle it out for a number of free agents this offseason. The Mets have eyes on swiping Cody Bellinger away from the Bronx. Both clubs are among the top contenders for highly-touted Japanese hurler Tatsuya Imai.

Helsley, however, is a player the Mets wouldn't have been competing with the Yankees for this offseason. The 31-year-old righty posted a 7.20 ERA in Queens following the deadline deal that sent him to the Mets. While that might've seemed to also take the Yankees out of the running, there's reason to believe he can rebound in 2026.

Yankees News: Division-rival Orioles sign Ryan Helsley to 2-year contract

While Helsley wasn't completely his dominant self during the first half in St. Louis, things weren't nearly as dire as they were with the Mets. With the Cardinals, the two-time All-Star and former Hoffman award winner posted a 3.00 ERA over 36 innings of work.

For what it's worth, Helsley believes his struggles in the second half were due to him tipping pitches following the trade, something that he seemingly wasn't able to overcome as the season wound down.

If that is the case and he can get his head right during the offseason, the potential is there for him to return to dominance. Helsley has a nasty fastball-slider combo, with his average fastball velocity of 99.3 miles per hour (a 99th percentile mark). His slider produced a run value of 10, which comes in at the 93rd percentile.

By FanGraphs Stuff+ metric, Helsley was as nasty as ever, posting a 127 mark, which was in line with his career average of 121. All of this would seem to suggest that the pitch tipping issues were real.

For the Yankees, that skill set would've been a welcome addition to the bullpen. Helsley would've given them a level of velocity that isn't readily present among the current group, as well as the dominant stuff that is hard to find.

As a reclamation project, you could do a lot worse. Helsley, alongside another, more certain option in the 'pen, would be a dream, but even if the only major bullpen addition is the man who posted a 1.25 ERA in 2022 for the Cardinals, the upside would've been undeniable. And with all that, it would've come with the added benefit of rubbing salt in the Mets' wounds, which is never an unwelcome sight.