Once Ryan Helsley came off the board, the late-inning market changed fast. With the Orioles landing the former All-Star on a two-year deal, the focus shifts to t he next wave of relievers who can still reshape a contender’s bullpen before spring training.
At the top of the list is E dwin Diaz, who opted out of the final two years of his Mets deal to test free agency. All he did in 2025 was post a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves, 98 strikeouts and a 0.87 WHIP over 66.1 innings, earning another All-Star nod and reminding everyone why he’s still viewed as a potential game-changing closer.
Right behind him is Robert Suarez, who quietly put together one of the most efficient seasons in the league for the Padres. The 34-year-old right-hander logged 40 saves with a 2.97 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, giving him the kind of recent track record teams crave in the ninth inning.
Devin Williams sits in a different bucket: more volatility, but huge upside. His 4.79 ERA with Milwaukee in 2025 doesn’t jump off the page, but he still struck out 90 hitters in 62 innings with a WHIP just over 1.10, and his underlying metrics remain strong enough that teams believe there’s another dominant run in there if his command stabilizes.
Pete Fairbanks is another name drawing attention after his option was declined. He’s been mentioned alongside Diaz, Suarez and Williams as a target for clubs like the Mets that are openly hunting “high-end bullpen solutions,” and his stuff still grades out as late-inning quality when healthy.
Beyond that core group, there’s a second tier of experienced arms who could wind up mattering in October even if they don’t headline the winter. Tyler Rogers, Hoby Milner, Shawn Armstrong, Mark Leiter Jr., Kirby Yates and David Robertson all remain available, each offering a different mix of durability, deception and matchup value.
Helsley’s deal with Baltimore took one of the biggest names off the board, but it also clarified the landscape. For teams still looking for a closer or a high-leverage bridge, there are impact options left — it just might take a little more risk tolerance to grab one.
