Ryan Helsley is drawing significant interest despite a horrible two months with the Mets.
Helsley, 31, has seen interest from about 15 teams, including the Tigers, Athletics reports this Tuesday.
A number of teams reportedly discussed multi-year deals with the righty as a setup man or closer. The Tigers see Helsley as a possible starter.
The news of Helsley attracting interest from so many organizations comes after he had a disastrous time in Queens after being acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline.
He posted a 7.20 ERA in 22 appearances with the Mets as he faced pitch-tipping issues.
“There is a lot of talent in free agency this year, and being in this position is exciting in itself,” Helsley told The Athletic. “You work seven years to get to this point and have the opportunity to experience it, so I’m very grateful for that. Hopefully the teams see that there was a problem, but my stuff is still there.”
Clubs don’t seem concerned about Helsley’s rough patch with the Mets and have taken the right-hander’s stats as a sign he can still be effective.
The two-time All-Star led the MLB with 49 saves in 2024 with the Cardinals, and he recorded 21 saves in 26 opportunities this past season before being traded.
His move to the Mets led to the “hardest thing I’ve experienced as a pitcher in the major leagues” as Helsley struggled to get zero innings.
It was eventually discovered that Helsley was tilting his throws due to his hand position when he came on set.
Helsley remains confident he can be a strong reliever in the Majors.
“People may not believe me, but I really enjoyed my time in New York,” he said. “I still believe I can be who I want to be and I’ve shown who I am as a pitcher. And I think there’s room for improvement, ways to get better and get even more out of myself.”
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