Of all teams this offseason, the Baltimore Orioles haven't wasted any time making moves. They started with trades for outfielder Taylor Ward and reliever Andrew Kittredge.
Then, days after reports came out about Baltimore's intent to sign an experienced back-end reliever, the Orioles signed Ryan Helsley to a two-year $28 million deal.
In doing so, the Orioles have re-created one of the most dominant bullpen duos of recent memory, reuniting Kittredge and Helsley, both of which were with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2024 season.
In that season, Ryan Helsley led the MLB in saves, setting a single season Cardinals record with 49. Helsley led the league in games finished as well, with 62 all while posting a 2.04 ERA. His impressive performance earned him ninth place in NL Cy Young award voting, the only reliever to finish in the top-10.
Kittredge was also amongst the leagues best set-up men, finishing the year with 37 holds, the highest total in the National League and one off of the MLB lead of 38. He was also a work-horse out of the Cardinals' bullpen, finishing with a 2.80 ERA over 74 appearances, the most appearances he's made in a single season.
Now, the two are once again reunited as a one-two punch in the back of the Baltimore bullpen. Although neither replicated their stellar 2024 seasons with great years in 2025, there's still plenty of reasons to believe the two will find success again.
As for the Orioles overall, they are expected to remain active throughout free-agency before the 2026 season begins.
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