At the beginning of the year with the St. Louis Cardinals, Ryan Helsley was dominant. He appeared in 36 games, holding together a 3.00 ERA with 21 saves and 41 strikeouts on 36 innings of work.
That type of performance was something the New York Mets thought could help bolster their bullpen, so they traded for him. However, he has struggled mightily with his new club.
Helsley has pitched in 18 games for the Mets. During this stretch, he holds a 9.60 ERA, letting up 16 earned runs in just 15 innings pitched, and his future in New York is likely squandered.
Mets' reliever viewed as a 'perfect' option for the Blue Jays this winter
Ryan Helsley will become a free agent when the season comes to an end. His shaky performances in New York have not been ideal, and he likely crushed much of his value in recent weeks.
However, that does not mean a team will not take a chance on him. Sports Illustrated's Zach Pressnell argues he could be a great option to close out games for the Toronto Blue Jays next season.
"The biggest hole to fill on the Blue Jays' roster is in the bullpen. They're loaded from top to bottom but the bullpen has continued to let them down this year. In the offseason, going after a top reliever like Ryan Helsley would be the perfect idea for Toronto. Helsley has partially tanked his value in free agency with a horrendous second half, which could work in the Blue Jays' favor. Toronto could add a few top players to the bullpen and Helsley would be the perfect player to take over as the team's next closer."
There is no denying that Toronto needs help in the bullpen, but would Helsley be the answer? There will also be other options in terms of Devin Williams and Raisel Iglesias, who fans may view as the better options.