Ryan Helsley Fantasy Stats

Baltimore Orioles right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) will go for a second opinion, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Helsley is on the 15-day injured list for the second time this year after already missing seven weeks due to inflammation in his right elbow earlier this season. After going back on the IL last Friday with more elbow injuries, fantasy managers might want to plan for the worst, which could be season-ending surgery. The 31-year-old veteran reliever was on his way to a bounce-back campaign in 2026 in his new digs in Baltimore early on before going on the IL for the first time. He's thrown just 15 1/3 innings so far for the O's and has gone 0-4 with a 4.11 ERA (4.68 FIP), 1.43 WHIP, eight saves, 21 strikeouts, and nine walks in 17 relief appearances. The two-time All-Star is worth stashing in most fantasy leagues until we know more about his timetable for a return. Tyler Wells has two straight saves for Baltimore since Helsley landed on the IL, but Rico Garcia should also factor into the saves picture for manager Craig Albernaz for however long Helsley stays sidelined.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Friday that they placed right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 30) with right-elbow discomfort and recalled right-handed reliever Anthony Nunez from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. It's a bad sign after Helsley already missed two months with inflammation in his right elbow earlier this year. The 31-year-old two-time All-Star has gone 0-4 in his first year with the O's with an elevated 4.11 ERA (4.68 FIP), 1.43 WHIP, eight saves, 21 strikeouts, and nine walks in 15 1/3 innings pitched. Helsley will now be out through the All-Star break and could struggle to return to Baltimore before the calendar flips to August. Veteran Andrew Kittredge could get some save opportunities given his experience, but the name fantasy managers want to target off the waiver wire is Rico Garcia, who picked up his first four career saves back when Helsley was on the IL the first time.

Baltimore Orioles reliever Rico Garcia is back in the saves conversation, though fantasy managers should not assume he is next in line. Ryan Helsley (elbow) felt discomfort while warming for the ninth inning on Wednesday, and Andrew Kittredge ended up handling the inning instead. That leaves the Orioles bullpen unsettled, with Garcia among several relievers who could get a look for save opportunities. He has pitched well enough to remain involved, posting a (3-1) record, 2.52 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 39 strikeouts, four saves, and 11 holds over 35 2/3 innings. At 22% rostered on Yahoo, Garcia makes the most sense in 15-team formats and leagues that use the category solds. Kittredge may receive the first opportunity, while Tyler Wells, Yennier Cano, and Grant Wolfram are also in the picture. If Helsley lands on the IL, Garcia is more of a watch-list name than a priority pickup in 12-team leagues until Baltimore shows its hand.

Baltimore Orioles right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) was dealing with some right-elbow discomfort, which is why he was not used on Wednesday in the 6-1 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Helsley is being checked out now, and manager Craig Albernaz said more information will come in the next few days. The MASN broadcast of the game showed Helsley in the bullpen holding his right arm after he stopped warming up, and he flexed his hand a few times and was rubbing his right elbow area with his other hand. This should have the O's and fantasy managers very concerned, as the 31-year-old veteran already missed seven weeks earlier this year due to inflammation in his right elbow. Helsley is a prime candidate to go back on the injured list before the All-Star break, with Rico Garcia once again being the top candidate for saves in Baltimore. Check back on Helsley's status on Thursday, but in the meantime, fantasy managers should run to the waiver wire and add Garcia, who is rostered in only 21% of Yahoo leagues.

Baltimore Orioles closer Ryan Helsley picked up his eighth save of the season on Friday, throwing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. The hard-throwing right-hander stumbled in his first two outings after returning from the elbow inflammation that sidelined him for nearly two months, allowing four earned runs across 1 2/3 innings. However, Helsley appears to have righted the ship with back-to-back scoreless outings. The 31-year-old has had some trouble with control this season, issuing a 14.3% walk rate. Still, his stuff looks as electric as ever, as he's averaged 98.8 miles per hour on his fastball and has struck out 31.7% of the batters he's faced this season. Helsley looks to be secure in the closer role in Baltimore, which gives him must-start value in most fantasy formats.

Baltimore Orioles closer Ryan Helsley had a rough outing on Friday night, allowing three runs (two earned) and recording just two outs to blow the save in his team's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Helsley was activated from the injured list on Wednesday after missing nearly two months due to elbow inflammation. His first two appearances since returning have been a struggle, as he's allowed four earned runs on three home runs across 1 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old got off to a solid start to the season before the injury, recording a 2.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 15 strikeouts, and seven saves across 10 2/3 innings. Still, he will need to right the ship quickly to maintain the closer role now, as Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia has been one of the better relievers in baseball this season and could easily reclaim the job if Helsley continues to struggle.

The Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley (elbow) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Anthony Nunez to Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Helsey is back in the big-league bullpen after striking out five of the seven batters he faced in two minor-league rehab appearances at Triple-A Norfolk. He ended up missing seven weeks with inflammation in his right elbow. Baltimore could very well ease Helsley back into a late-inning, high-leverage role now that he's back from his injury, but the full expectation is that he'll be manager Craig Albernaz's primary closing option again, pushing Rico Garcia back to a late-inning setup role. Before getting hurt early in the 2026 season, the two-time All-Star was looking good in his first 12 appearances with the O's, allowing three earned runs in 10 2/3 innings with seven saves, 15 strikeouts, and seven walks. Helsley has 112 career saves in his seven-plus big-league seasons. He's rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues. If he's available on your waiver wire, scoop him up immediately.

Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley (elbow) had another strong minor-league rehab outing for Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday night against Memphis, setting down the order 1-2-3 in the sixth innings while striking out two, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Helsley threw nine of his 14 pitches for strikes. In his two rehab appearances for Norfolk, Helsley has tossed two shutout innings with no walks and five strikeouts, and the Orioles might be ready to reinstate him from the 15-day injured list. Before getting hurt, the 31-year-old veteran was looking great as Baltimore's primary closer in 2026, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking seven, striking out 15, and recording seven saves in his first 12 appearances for the team. The two-time All-Star appears to be on the verge of rejoining the back end of the Orioles' bullpen, and he should immediately slot back in as manager Craig Albernaz's preferred choice in the ninth inning. Fantasy managers should run to their waiver wire and check if Helsley is available. He's currently rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues.

Baltimore Orioles reliever Ryan Helsley (elbow) is set to make his second rehab appearance with Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday. After tossing a scoreless inning on Thursday, manager Craig Albernaz said the right-handed pitcher feels good enough to pitch again. He will look to build on his first outing, during which his fastball averaged 97.7 miles per hour and topped out at 99.7 mph. He also needed just 14 pitches to retire all three batters he faced, with 12 of those pitches going for strikes. Helsley has been sidelined since the end of April with right elbow inflammation and is aiming to return soon to provide some much-needed stability to the Orioles' bullpen. The 31-year-old has seven saves this season and should provide an immediate boost to fantasy lineups upon his return, which could be sooner rather than later.

Baltimore Orioles closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday, per Roch Kubatko of MASN. Helsley has been on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation since late April, but he appears to be on the doorstep of a return to the big leagues. Across 10 2/3 innings (12 games) before the injury, Helsley pitched to a 2.53 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 15 strikeouts and seven saves. While Helsley's 15.2% walk rate in a small sample size is a bit of a concern, he averaged 98.9 miles per hour on his fastball and struck out 32.6% of the batters he faced. Upon his return, he should slot back in as the primary closer in Baltimore.