Ryan Helsley reveals one reason why he struggled so mightily with Mets

The New York Mets didn't get close to the best version of Ryan Helsley, and he may have provided a reason why.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Mets were aggressive ahead of this year's trade deadline, looking to upgrade their roster for the stretch run. Alas, most of the moves they made ultimately proved unhelpful, as they failed to make the postseason.

Arguably the worst trade the team made was acquiring relief pitcher Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals. A two-time All-Star and the National League leader in saves with 49 in 2024, he was brought in to help bridge the gap in the bullpen ahead of star closer Edwin Diaz.

Read More: Mets star closer assesses possibility of testing free agency

On paper, it looked like a shrewd move by general manager David Stearns. Helsley's track record spoke for itself, and adding him along with Gregory Soto and Tyler Rogers certainly seemed like enough.

Unfortunately, Helsley struggled mightily upon landing with the Mets. He cost the team several games with implosions out of the bullpen, which contributed to the agonizing collapse to end the year. The 31-year-old made 22 appearances, throwing 20 innings with New York and registering a ghastly 7.20 ERA; he had a -0.9 bWAR and a 0-3 record.

Ryan Helsley put too much pressure on himself with Mets

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

What was the reason for his struggles? Never having been traded previously, Helsley revealed that part of why he could have been unable to find a groove in New York was the unprecedented amount of pressure he put on himself.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic (subscription required), Helsley admitted that he tried to do too much with his new club. While he didn't have issues fitting in with his new teammates, the elite closer was so laser-focused on leaving a good impression that his command on the mound suffered greatly, despite still boasting strong velocity.

A pitch tipping issue was among several obstacles that he had to overcome with the Mets. As if being traded wasn’t hard enough, mechanical changes exacerbated the mental transition of pitching with a new team, let alone in the sport's biggest market. Those are major changes to make at any point in a pitcher's career.

NYM RHP Ryan Helsley (Unrestricted FA) 31 years old
Market Value: 13 Mil
2025 stats:
57 games
55.0 IP
4.58 ERA
4.14 FIP
10.15 K/9
3.93 BB/9
1.31 HR/9
31% Chase%
30% Whiff%
0.2 fWAR pic.twitter.com/lxR0ZcQ55i

— Baseball Unstitched Podcast (@BaseUnstitched) September 26, 2025

It was a struggle for Helsley in New York, but if those issues are behind him, there is no reason he cannot return to the level of dominance he showcased since 2022 with the Cardinals.

He certainly looked to figure things out down the stretch. Over his last six appearances, Helsley didn’t allow a single run over seven innings pitched. Despite pitching in low-leverage situations, the hard-throwing righty surrendered only three hits and three walks while striking out six.

Having some positive momentum heading into the offseason can only help his case as he seeks a lucrative long-term deal in free agency, whether it be with the Mets or another club.