The signing of top free agent right-hander Ryan Helsley was a significant acquisition for the Baltimore Orioles, especially in the role that he is intended to take on as the team’s closer.
With former All-Star closer Félix Bautista lost for most, if not all, of the 2026 season, Helsley helps cover a glaring need in the O’s bullpen, as does the trade to bring back right-hander Andrew Kittredge.
The two veterans will help anchor the back-end of the bullpen. However, as currently constructed, there still a lot of question marks.
The Orioles did tender Keegan Akin a contract for the 2026 season, which provides a proven left-hander who had a strong season last year.
Akin did convert eight of 14 save chances last season, but he excelled in a supporting role, where he picked up 16 holds and finished the season with a respectable 3.41 ERA.
Yennier Cano returning to his pre-2025 form would go a long way in helping out the bullpen as well.
In his 2023 All-Star season, The Rock posted a 2.11 ERA, followed by a 3.15 ERA in 2024, pitching 70+ games each season and holding 31 and 34 games, respectively.
Unfortunately, 2025 saw a lot of Cano’s numbers go in opposite directions, as he posted a -0.4 WAR, had a 5.12 ERA and only accounted for 17 holds in 65 games, with nearly half of the runners that he inherited going on to score.
A lot of that had to do with the fact that Cano’s changeup and sinker had nearly no break or change in velocity, which was allowing hitters to square up on the pitches. A return to form could help revitalize his career and return a veteran arm to the back-end of the bullpen.
Right-hander Rico Garcia was re-signed to a one-year deal, but he is not a guarantee and does tend to get wild at times. He does possess quite an arsenal and, with the right coaching, can provide upside for what looks to be the weakest part of this Orioles team.
Then, there are possible returns of Dietrich Enns, Kade Strowd, Yaramil Hiraldo, Colin Selby and Grant Wolfram, but their inconsistencies have to be a concern for a team that is trying to open a window for a World Series run.
Last season, the Baltimore bullpen posted the eighth worst ERA (4.22) and fourth worst LOB% (67.8%) in the sport, signifying that any holdover from last year was part of the problem, not the solution.
So, where do the Birds go from here?
President of baseball operations and acting-GM Mike Elias has to know that the status quo will not work this time. Investing in “Plan B” free agents and other team’s castoffs is not going to be the answer for an organization that has the talent to make a deep run in the postseason.
Now, the Orioles do have some internal options to solve some of the problems inside the pen, and they could be key pieces to help in various ways throughout a long season.
The strongest option would be Tyler Wells, who returned last season from his second elbow reconstruction procedure and pitched to a 2.91 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 21.2 innings.
Wells’ lone season as a reliever in the bigs in 2021 consisted of a 4.11 ERA across 44 games. It was a year in which he held opponents to a .192 average and pitched to a WHIP of 0.91 while converting four saves in 57 innings of work.
Other players who could help and benefit from growth in the bullpen are Cade Povich, Brandon Young and Chayce McDermott.
Though they may be in play for rotation spots, the Orioles, according to Elias, will be pursuing front-line starters this offseason and will be aggressive in that market during the upcoming MLB Winter Meetings.
Though the rotation does need work, the bullpen can not be left with the holes that exist in its current state.
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