The New York Mets envisioned a lockdown bullpen after acquiring Ryan Helsley, but his first outings have sparked quiet unease among fans.
On Thursday against the Atlanta Braves, New York entered the eighth inning holding a narrow 3-2 lead. Helsley, brought in for high-leverage stability, surrendered two runs and flipped the game’s momentum, leading to a 4-3 defeat.
The loss wasn’t just about one bad inning — it marked a third straight outing in which Helsley allowed at least one run. In two of those games, the runs were earned, and the damage directly changed the outcome.
For a bullpen designed to be airtight, those cracks are glaring. Edwin Díaz and Tyler Rogers have been excellent, but Helsley hasn’t yet matched their rhythm or reliability.
High Expectations from Deadline Investment
The Mets didn’t pursue Helsley casually. They spent valuable prospects at the trade deadline with the goal of “shortening” games for opponents.
The strategy was simple: if the Mets could get to the sixth or seventh inning with a lead, they could lock it down with a dominant late-inning crew. It’s the baseball equivalent of sealing a vault with multiple unbreakable locks.
Helsley, in particular, seemed like the perfect addition. At 31, still firmly in his prime, he has a triple-digit fastball and an intimidating mound presence that can make hitters look overmatched.
Between 2024 and 2025, he notched an impressive 70 saves — a closing résumé matched by only a handful of relievers in the league.
Performance Gap Between St. Louis and New York
Last season with the St. Louis Cardinals, Helsley was one of baseball’s most reliable relievers, posting a sparkling 2.04 ERA in high-pressure situations.
Even earlier this season before the trade, his 3.00 ERA suggested he was still among the game’s best at limiting damage.
Yet in just five innings with the Mets, his ERA sits at 5.40, and his control has been noticeably less precise than usual.
The contrast is striking — like a pianist suddenly fumbling the simplest notes they’ve played perfectly for years. That slight drop in sharpness has been enough to tilt games in the wrong direction.
The Pressure of the Eighth Inning in Queens
The Mets clearly envisioned Helsley as their go-to eighth-inning weapon, setting the table for Díaz to finish games.
His track record suggests he can be that guy, but a playoff race has little patience for prolonged struggles. Every appearance carries extra weight, especially when the margin for error in the standings is thin.
For now, the Mets might be wise to exercise patience, betting that Helsley’s stuff and experience will eventually win out. But patience in August is different from patience in April — one bad stretch could force a role change.
And in a bullpen designed for airtight precision, even a small leak can alter the outcome of games, weeks, and possibly an entire season.
The next few outings will be critical in determining whether Helsley regains his form or becomes the Mets’ biggest late-inning question mark.
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