Mets 2-time All-Star sends strong message to struggling Ryan Helsley

Jon Conahan

Mets 2-time All-Star sends strong message to struggling Ryan Helsley image

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

When the New York Mets landed Ryan Helsley during the trade deadline, the expectation was for him to continue being one of the better closers in Major League Baseball.

Unfortunately, Helsley is throwing the baseball worse than he ever has, whether he's tipping pitches or simply not the same type of arm he was with the St. Louis Cardinals

Players always go through tough stretches, no matter how great they are. There isn't a player in the world who hasn't struggled at one point in their life on the diamond. It's the unfortunate reality of playing in Major League Baseball and baseball in general at such a high level. 

Mets' Ryan Helsley gets advice

Players on the Mets seem to understand that, too, including Mets starter Clay Holmes. Holmes has had his fair share of struggles over the past few years, mainly with the New York Yankees

"I've been traded midseason, I've been a closer, I've had a lot of success there, had some failures there," Holmes said, per SNY’s Colin Martin. "You're in a playoff chase. There's a lot that goes on there. The game's never as easy as it is. When you add some of those things, there are times you may not be your best."

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While the comment is a nice gesture from Holmes, it's important that Helsley starts to figure things out over the next few weeks. 

Since being in New York, he's been one of the worst relievers in Major League Baseball, and he struggled in his latest outing against the Detroit Tigers, giving up three earned runs in 0.2 innings. 

He now owns an 11.45 ERA during his time with the Mets.

Jon Conahan

Jon Conahan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A 2022 Penn State University graduate who majored in journalism, he was also a member of the school's D1 baseball team. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Heavy and other outlets. Jon makes home in North Jersey, but also resides in Cape Coral, Florida, for parts of the year. He’s an avid fan of the New York Yankees, Miami Dolphins and Milwaukee Bucks.