| Ryan Helsley | |
|---|---|
 Helsley with the Cardinals in 2024 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1994-07-18)July 18, 1994 (age 31) Tahlequah, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 16, 2019, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 31–18 |
| Earned run average | 2.96 |
| Strikeouts | 377 |
| Saves | 105 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Ryan Dalton Helsley (born July 18, 1994) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSt. Louis Cardinals andNew York Mets.
Helsley playedcollege baseball atNortheastern State University. He was selected by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the2015 MLB draft and made his MLB debut in 2019. Helsley broke out in 2022 while serving as the team'scloser and was named anAll-Star. After the 2024 season, he was namedNL Reliever of the Year for the first time in his career. In 2025, the Cardinals traded Helsley to the Mets.
Helsley attendedSequoyah High School inTahlequah, Oklahoma,[1] where he playedbaseball,basketball, andfootball along with runningtrack.[2] Undrafted out of high school in the2013 MLB draft, he enrolled atNortheastern State University where he playedcollege baseball.[3] In 2014, as a freshman, he went 7–4 with a 4.60 ERA in 14 games (nine starts) and was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year.[4] As a sophomore, he pitched to a 14–8 record and 4.06 ERA in126+1⁄3 innings pitched.[5] After his sophomore season, he was drafted by theSt. Louis Cardinals in the fifth round of the2015 MLB draft and he signed.[6][5]
After signing, Helsley made his professional debut with theJohnson City Cardinals and spent all of 2015 there, posting a 2.01 ERA in40+1⁄3 innings.[7] In 2016, he pitched for thePeoria Chiefs, where he posted a 10–2 record with a 1.61 ERA in 17 starts and was named aMidwest League All-Star.[8] Helsley started 2017 with thePalm Beach Cardinals and after going 8–2 with a 2.69 ERA in 17 games (16 starts), he was promoted to theSpringfield Cardinals in July.[9] In six starts for Springfield, he was 3–1 with a 2.67 ERA.[10] He also made one start for theMemphis Redbirds at the end of the season.[11] Following the season, he was named theFlorida State League Pitcher of the Year.[12][13] Helsley began 2018 with Springfield and was promoted to Memphis during the season. However, shoulder fatigue ended his season in June.[14] In seven starts for Springfield, he was 3–2 with a 4.39 ERA, and in five starts for Memphis he pitched to a 2–1 record and a 3.71 ERA.[15] The Cardinals added Helsley to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season.[16]
Helsley began 2019 back with Memphis.[17] On April 16, he was called up to the major leagues for the first time.[18] He made his debut that night, throwing two and a third innings in relief and recording a single in his first major league at-bat.[19] Helsley was placed on theinjured list on June 13 with right shoulder impingement,[20] and was reassigned to Memphis following his activation on July 3. Helsley was recalled for the final time on August 4, spending the remainder of his 2019 season in the St. Louis bullpen. Over36+2⁄3 relief innings with the Cardinals, Helsley went 2–0 with a 2.95 ERA, striking out 32.[21] In that year's postseason, he pitched5+1⁄3 innings with no earned runs and 8 strikeouts.
Helsley began the 2020 season with St. Louis. On August 7, it was announced he had tested positive forCOVID-19.[22] Helsley finished the pandemic-shortened season with a 1–1 record, 5.25 ERA and one save in 12 innings of work.[23] In 2021, Helsley appeared in 51 games with the Cardinals in which he went 6-4 with a 4.56 ERA and 47 strikeouts over47+1⁄3 innings before he was shut down in mid-August with knee and elbow injures.[24]
In 2022, Helsley compiled a first-half 5–1 record with a 0.73 ERA, 54 strikeouts, and seven saves over 37 innings, and was consequently selected to represent the Cardinals at theAll-Star Game inLos Angeles.[25] On September 16, Helsley pitched animmaculate inning against theCincinnati Reds striking outKyle Farmer,Jake Fraley, andDonovan Solano in the 9th inning.[26] Helsley finished the 2022 season with 54 relief appearances in which he went 9–1 with a 1.25 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and 19 saves over64+2⁄3 innings.[27] In the postseason, Helsley, who had jammed fingers on his throwing hand in his final regular-season appearance, was the loser in Game 1 of the2022 National League Wild Card Series, allowing a single, two walks, and a hit batter in successive 9th inning plate appearances for four earned runs in a game thePhiladelphia Phillies won 6–3.[28]
Helsley began the 2023 season in the St. Louis bullpen, and logged a 3.24 ERA in 22 appearances before he was placed on the injured list with a right forearm strain on June 12, 2023.[29] He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 24.[30] Helsley was activated on September 1.[31]
He was namedNL Reliever of the Month for April 2024, with his 16 appearances, 10 saves, a 1.69 ERA, and 9.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (19 strikeouts, 2 walks).[32] He recorded a Cardinals record 49th save on September 27, 2024.[33]
In 65 appearances for St. Louis in 2024, Helsley posted a 2.04 ERA with a 7–4 record along with 49 saves and 79 strikeouts.[34] After the season, he was namedNL Reliever of the Year for the first time in his career.[35]
On June 28, 2025, Helsley recorded his 100th career save against theCleveland Guardians.[36] Across 36 games for the Cardinals in 2025, he was 3–1 with a 3.00 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched.[37]
On July 30, 2025, the Cardinals traded Helsley to theNew York Mets in exchange for prospectsJesus Baez,Nate Dohm, and Frank Elissalt.[38][39] Helsley immediately made an impact on the Mets, blowing four saves and recording a 10.38 ERA across9+2⁄3 innings pitched in August.[40] He improved in September, giving up no runs across his last seven innings of the season.[41]
Across 22 games for the Mets in 2025, he was 0–3 with a 7.20 ERA, giving up 20 runs (16 earned) in 20 innings pitched.[37]
Helsley is aChristian.[42] Helsley and his wife, Alex, married in July 2021.[43] Their first child, a daughter, was born in August 2022.[44]
Helsley is a citizen of theCherokee Nation[45][46] and has some ability to speak theCherokee language.[47]
During the2019 National League Division Series against theAtlanta Braves, Helsley was asked about the Braves' rallying cry "The Tomahawk Chop". Helsley said he found the fans' chanting and arm motions insulting and that the chop depicts natives "in this kind of caveman-type people way who aren't intellectual". Helsley's comments prompted the Braves to stop handing out foam tomahawks, playing the chop music, or showing the chop graphic when the series returned to Atlanta for game 5. The Braves released a statement saying they would "continue to evaluate how we activate elements of our brand, as well as the overall in-game experience" and that they would continue a "dialogue with those in the Native American community after the postseason concludes".[48]
He grew up aSt. Louis Cardinals fan.[49]
