It’s pretty clear that Ryan Helsley isn’t having a single ounce of fun right now.
The right-handed flame-thrower, long a staple of elite relief pitching, has had a brutal welcome to New York, and Wednesday afternoon was no exception.
The Mets dropped the third game of their series to the Detroit Tigers, falling short of the sweep, and Helsley played a big role in letting this one slip away.
Down 3-2 in the seventh, the Mets were within striking distance, as long as the bullpen could hold the line. Helsley entered, only to be greeted rudely. Colt Keith singled, Gleyber Torres drew a walk, and suddenly there were two on with no outs.
Next came Kerry Carpenter. After missing with his first pitch, Helsley went back to the heater. Carpenter was ready, turning on 100 MPH and launching it just over the right-field wall for a three-run homer. The Tigers seized the momentum and never gave it back. The Mets went on to lose, 6-2.
For Helsley, the nightmare continues. After a strong first half with the Cardinals (a 3.00 ERA across 36 innings), he’s completely unraveled in Queens. In 14 games, he’s faced 62 batters over just 11 innings, allowing 18 hits, eight walks, and 14 earned runs. That’s nearly six baserunners per outing, with a WHIP north of 2.3.
After the game, Helsley sounded as frustrated and confused as Mets fans watching at home.
“I’m trying anything and everything. It feels like I make a good pitch and it gets hit, then mistakes obviously get hit as well,” he said. “It feels like guys are swinging at 100 like it’s 91 right now…when you feel like you have to be perfect out there, it’s not a good thing.”
Still, Mets players have faith that the elite reliever will turn it around.
“We all have a lot of confidence in Ryan,” Mets starter Clay Holmes said. “He has the makeup, he has the work ethic. You’ve got to keep moving forward and keep believing in yourself.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza also dismissed the idea that New York’s bright lights were overwhelming Helsley, pointing out that he’s thrived as a closer in a big baseball town before.
“How do we help this guy?” Mendoza continued, stating that the Mets’ responsibility is to help Helsley get back on track. “Right now, we’re not doing that.”
