The Orioles announced that right-hander Ryan Helsley has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 29th, with right elbow inflammation. Fellow righty Albert Suárez has been selected to take Helsley’s place on the active roster. The 40-man roster had a couple of vacancies and the addition of Suárez brings the O’s up to 39 players on there.
It’s an out-of-nowhere IL stint for Helsley, as there wasn’t any previous indication that anything was wrong. He last pitched on Tuesday, recording a clean inning and earning a save as the O’s beat the Astros 5-3. His fastball averaged 99.3 miles per hour, right around his season average and a slight increase over his previous two outings. He didn’t pitch in the past two days but Baltimore didn’t have save chances in the interim. The game on Wednesday was postponed. The two games in yesterday’s doubleheader were not close, one being decided by six runs and the other by seven.
The club will presumably have more information later but it’s always a bit ominous when a pitcher’s throwing elbow is involved in an injury. For the O’s, they will have to figure out how to proceed with yet another hit to their bullpen. Their previous closer, Félix Bautista, underwent shoulder surgery in August of last year. That procedure came with a timeline of about a year. He could perhaps be back late in 2026 but it’s also possible he misses the entire season, which is why Helsley was signed to fill the closer’s role.
The O’s also have Dietrich Enns and Yaramil Hiraldo on the IL, meaning Helsey is now the fourth reliever on the shelf. Guys like Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia, Anthony Nunez or Grant Wolfram could step up to absorb some higher-leverage roles.
For Helsley personally, it could be a rough development as well. Not so long ago, he was one of the top relievers in the game and was trending towards cashing in as a free agent. Unfortunately, he had an ill-timed dip in performance in 2025, his walk year. His earned run average shot up to 4.50 after being around 2.00 in the previous three seasons.
He signed a two-year, $28MM deal with the Orioles, a pact which contained an opt-out halfway through. That would give Baltimore a replacement for Bautista in the closer’s role. For Helsley, ideally, he would return to form and then go back to free agency in search of a longer deal and a bigger guarantee.
The results have been mostly good so far, through 10 2/3 innings. His 15.2% walk rate is way too high but his 32.6% strikeout rate is a nice bounceback after it dropped to 25% last year. Obviously, a major elbow injury would kill that plan, so this will hopefully be just a minor issue and eventual footnote in his season.
Suárez, 36, began the season with the O’s on a minor league deal. His contract was selected a few days into the season. He spent close to a month in the bullpen as a long reliever, tossing 13 innings over five appearances with a 3.46 ERA.
Despite those pretty solid results, he was squeezed off the roster a few days ago. He cleared waivers and then elected free agency on Wednesday. It was reported at that time that he and the O’s would likely work out a new minor league deal. According to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, his new minor league deal was approved just a few hours ago. He was initially going to join the Norfolk Tides in Nashville before being rerouted to be added to the big league roster as a replacement for Helsley.
Photo courtesy of Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images
Rico time!
Nunez…
Rico gonna be the closer for sure.
Rico is more valuable in pre 9th high leverage situations
Gonna say that Nunez will likely not be closing games out. I’ll take the bet that Garcia leads us. I think Wolfram might get a couple if it’s lefty heavy.
Thought Suarez was released
He was re-signed to a new minor league deal
Whatsa bout Cano? Was gonna cut him maybe in fantasy but now keep?
It’s all about Kittredge
Yeah- tend to accumulate too many nice set up guys: the nice guy friend that the ladies take for granted as they careen from trainwreck to trainwreck complaining how they never met anyone stable
Ffs this is getting out of control. 12 guys on the IL?
Call them the Baltimore Injured Lists
Maybe its the water: Balmawr a bit on the stanky side. Why everyone’s got crabs
Hope he’ll be OK with some rest, but elbow inflammation frequently means a major absense and possibly surgery. A shame since he seems to have re-claimed his form.
This is crazy. I swear I was reading about a pitcher with elbow problems yesterday. What are the odds?
Good god. I can’t take much more of this.
At some point karma has to swing the other direction right? Tired of seeing my O’s continually gutted by injuries.
I think the ‘Stros are dealing.
Bryan Abreu is potentially elite.
O’s have Kjerstad and Cowser and are getting some pitching out of their AAA stable. Astros could use an OF.
Orioles:
-Heston Kjerstad
-Levi Wells
–for–
Astros:
-Bryan Abreu
Just one of those guys is an overpay for Abreu. Pen guys can be got cheaper than that. Besides, with some arms coming back “soon” I doubt B-more even attempts a trade for Bullpen.
If i’m being honest, Kjerstad needs to get outta here. Love the talent but the past couple of years I’ve been saying he needs a change of scenery kinda like Stowers. What he really needs is to stay healthy, but even if he does he’s very much a depth guy with no access to consistent playing time to prove his worth. Cowser on the other hand is also in a similar, health dependent boat. Not to mention when he is “healthy” he has regressed so much as a hitter from what he was showing a few years ago.
But as you say, Abreu is off to a rough start and he’s nowhere near as bad as his current stats indicate. But as far as the O’s go, we definitely need to move on from Kjerstad and Cowser. I like the talent both guys have but they hav proven unreliable both healthwise and production wise.
Moving them is fine and dandy, I’m merely suggesting that y’all can get more than Bryan Abreu in return. All named players have down-pointing stock so you’re trading at (near) minimum value, but teams will be attracted to the potential.
@Gwynning — Id agree with your third point, Baltimore doesnt necessarily need to add to the bullpen, and they have a nice stack with:
Kitteredge (C)
Wells (8)
Garcia (7)
Nunez
Wolfram
Cano
Akin
Suarez
Their bullpen has pitched well.
As far as the group returning, Enns and Hiraldo, neither are that experienced. Enns debuted last season, Hiraldo doesn’t have many innings in MLB. Selby also light on experience. All viable at the back of the bullpen, and good depth.
Injury history is where their bullpen is vulnerable. Kitterdge, Wells, Garcia and Akin all have significant injury history.
Bryan Abreu, when he has it going right, is elite. He’s off to a slow start in ’26 but he is a veteran, 60+ innings in each of the past four seasons. 32.6%K to 11.5%BB over his career, .202 BAA with a 3.18 FIP.
If Helsley is out for the year, Abreu is a viable replacement but it will cost. That deal is no overpay. Kjerstad isnt the lefty Mark McGwire and Levi Wells is no sure thing either.
If you look at the returns on bullpen arms, take Camilo Doval for example. Doval returned Parks Harbor, Carlos De La Rosa, Jesus Rodriguez and Tryston Vrieling. That is one example. Harbor is a better prospect than Kjerstad. De La Rosa is a better prospect than Levi Wells.
If anything the Astros pass on the trade. It all depends on how much they like Kjerstad. I think they require another player and that Baltimore is light with their offer.
Thumbs up for an effort post, No ABs. I would counter that Abreu is having the worst year of his career, and he is a pending FA. Moving 12+ years of control for 3, 4 months doesn’t make practical sense, Abreu’s underlying peripherals notwithstanding. You can find a better deal out there, especially if you’re floating both prospects in earnest. Going against the essence of my points, if Abreu is “your guy” and this seems like the best deal for you, then by all means make the deal. You’re shortchangin’ your return, in my humble opinion.
PS- I love the O’s, they’re my #1 AL team by far. Angels a very distant 2nd, if only by proximity to Anaheim and family ties. Go O’s 😃
Oh and the Stros take that deal in a heartbeat. Their farm is barren.
I get the gist of what you are saying, Abreu is out to a bad start and his market is down.
Team control on prospects is always going to be the compensation for expiring contracts on high leverage relief pitchers.
The trade deadline the past two seasons has exhibited voracious demand for relief pitchers.
I wont rehash all the comps, Fangraphs ranked the prospect returns from last years deadline trades, the article is a good read:
blogs.fangraphs.com/ranking-the-mlb-prospects-trad…
Abreu, with the caveat that he is 100%, is going to put together a run of wipeout performances. His numbers over the past five seasons stack up with the best relievers in baseball. He is on an expiring contract, but after seeing Danny Coulombe sign for 1M, you might be able to extend him before the end of the season on a team friendly contract, say 3/15M — Rogers just got 3/45M — Coulombe’s 1/1M and the impending CBA offers a team a real nice opportunity to extend a player like Abreu.
Id say Abreu’s market is very strong despite his slow start and if the Astros are dealing, they should get at least an OF prospect of Kjerstad’s caliber and a hedge like Levi Wells.
Abreu is the player that has posted 8.2 WAR from ’22-’25.
Im not sure about that, Kjerstad is a good prospect, but Abreu is a big part of their team.
He is the senior member of that bullpen. It will be difficult to part with him.
Abreu’s fastball is down 1.5-2 MPH over last year. Declining results have to be factored… enjoy your weekend homey! I know I’m not, but if I was POBO of the Stros then I would start to seriously consider a sell-off into a rebuild. They’re toast, again, IMHO.
He’s in a contract year, he is certainly throwing within himself but that would soften his market.
If he is holding back because he mindful of his contract status, and that is likely the case, an extension solves the issue.
If he isnt 100% and it is an injury, then there is likely no market at all.
He did strike out the side in yesterday’s game. He nailed Coby Mayo on a four pitch sequence:
1. 86mph slider for a called strike
2. 97mph four seamer for a called strike
3. 86mph slider foul ball
4. 87mph slider swinging strike
He’s likely waiting for the weather to warm up before he unleashes the heater.
Have a good weekend.