Helsley surpasses even his own expectations atop Cards' saves list

SAN FRANCISCO -- Back from a forearm injury that cost him two and a half months and led to some serious soul searching in 2023, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley racked up seven saves in a little more than a month and then did a little math in his head to consider what the possibilities might be for 2024.

“When I came back in September [2023] and I was only the closer and got seven saves, I was like, ‘If I get seven [saves] a month times six, then that’s 42, and that’s a pretty good year,’” Helsley recalled. “Obviously, I’ve eclipsed that, and it’s been fun.”

Helsley, a feel-good bright spot in a season full of frustration for the Cardinals, topped even his most crude of projections by notching his franchise-record 49th save on Friday when the Cardinals topped the Giants, 6-3, at Oracle Park. The 49th save pushed the 30-year-old reliever past the 48 saves that former Cardinal Trevor Rosenthal compiled in 2015.

Helsley thought his chance at the record might come on Thursday in Colorado, but a couple of his bullpen mates surrendered five runs in the eighth inning to blow the game and the save opportunity.

On Friday, the Cardinals grabbed control of the game with four runs in the fourth inning and then didn’t add onto the lead to keep the save opportunity in order. On the precipice of history for the tradition-rich Cardinals franchise, Helsley had to give himself a pep talk in the bullpen.

“Warming up, I was just telling myself that it was something that I’ve done lots of times before and not trying to make the moment too big, and just go and have fun,” said Helsley, who is two ahead of Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase for the MLB lead in saves. “I mean, I’m human, too, and you have to fight that [emotion] and try to get myself into the mental space where I know that I’m ready.”

Helsley saved the game for longtime Cardinals cornerstone Miles Mikolas, who survived a three-run second inning, worked out of trouble in the third and pitched scoreless fourth and fifth innings to qualify for the victory. More than anything, Mikolas was thrilled for Helsley’s record-setting moment to cap a season where he has gone 49-for-53 in save opportunities.

“Super impressive, because any time [Helsley] comes in, you can grab your coffee, take a sip and just kind of watch the show from him because it’s been super fun to see,” Mikolas said.

Recognized by his teammates in a postgame ceremony in the clubhouse, Helsley couldn’t help but think back to his frustrating start to 2023 and the lingering forearm injury that cost him most of June and all of July and August in a forgettable 71-91 season for the Cardinals. In 2022, Helsley got his first All-Star nod after compiling a 9-1 record with a 1.25 ERA and 19 saves in 54 appearances. To not repeat that sort of success early in the 2023 season bothered Helsley immensely.

“I was incapable of doing what I set my mind to, and last year when I was hurt, I did some soul searching because I didn’t like the way I pitched in the first half when I was healthy,” Helsley recalled. “I did a lot of deep diving, and I wanted to come back and show that I still had it from [2022]. I was able to finish [2023] strong, and I wanted to build on that.”

When the Cardinals made the decision to use Helsley in a true closer’s role -- only pitching him in the ninth and rarely, if ever, asking him to get more than three outs -- it elevated his potential in the position. He set club records early in the season when he recorded 31 straight saves and registered 32 before the Midsummer Classic. And when he made his second All-Star Game, he joined Hall of Famers Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter as the only Cardinals relievers with multiple All-Star Game nods.

To truly be in the company of Cardinals legends, Helsley said he felt a strong need to make himself available to pitch whenever the Cardinals needed him. His 65 appearances this season are easily a career high and an accomplishment that Helsley values almost as much as the saves record.

“Knowing that I was only going to be a one-inning type of guy, I felt kind of obligated that I needed to be available for 95% of games and to do whatever I could to harness that and be ready for these moments,” Helsley said. “As a reliever, you’ve just got to always be ready for the next day. We’re all going to have bad days, but what can you do with that next opportunity?”