Not long after Mike Rizzo was fired but long before Paul Toboni took over baseball operations, the Nationals made a flurry of significant transactions this summer. When it came time for baseball’s annual trade deadline, it was Mike DeBartolo calling the shots as interim general manager, entrusted to make several moves of consequence only weeks afte

The signing of reliever Ryan Helsley to a two-year contract with an opt-out clause increases the Orioles’ 40-man roster to 39 players. Twenty-two are pitchers, with three catchers, seven infielders and seven outfielders. There’s room for the Orioles to make a selection in the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 10 that wraps up the Winter Meetings in Orlando, but

Closer Ryan Helsley has passed his physical and signed his contract with the Orioles. Helsley agreed to terms over the weekend on a two-year, $28 million deal with an opt-out after 2026. The right-handed will receive a $500,000 bonus if he’s traded, according to The Athletic. The Orioles announced the signing tonight but only confirmed the years an

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher RYAN HELSLEY on a two-year major league contract for the 2026-27 seasons with a player opt-out following 2026. Helsley, 31, is a two-time All-Star and the 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year. He went 3-4 with 21 saves, a 4.50 ERA (28 ER/56.0 IP

If the Nationals are looking for ways to improve from 2025 to 2026, they can look at almost any position on the field and see plenty of room for growth. But if Paul Toboni and his new front office are allowed to point to only one aspect of the roster that could benefit the most from an upgrade, they surely would point to a rotation that regressed f

The best part of Thanksgiving might be the leftovers. The holiday stretches for days and days.   Mailbags also can be stretched and they won’t turn different colors if those days become weeks. They also don’t create dirty dishes and pans that need soaking. Let's dig into these leftovers.   What do you think of Zac Gallen for our rotation? We have a

Not all seasons are created equally. Rookie years are for making mistakes and learning from them. Final seasons are for curtain calls and flowers. Contract years are for playing your best baseball in hopes of a big payday. 2025 was Ryan Helsley’s contract year, and it didn’t go exactly as he’d hoped. Entering the season, the flamethrowing right-han

Thanksgiving week is special for the Nationals, who not only enjoy the celebrations but also take the time to give back to the community as the holiday season officially gets underway. Turkeypalooza, Nationals Philanthropies’ annual holiday meal distribution event, served packaged Thanksgiving meals to people in the D.C. community last week leading

The Orioles aren’t tip-toeing into the upcoming Winter Meetings. Mike Elias got his power-hitting right-handed bat when he traded for outfielder Taylor Ward. He got his closer yesterday by reaching agreement with Ryan Helsley on a two-year, $28 million contract, which a source confirmed last night. Executives won’t convene in Orlando until Dec. 7.

The Orioles remained hopeful that they could get back Félix Bautista sometime after the break, but they had to find a closer to assist in their push to go from last place to first in 2026. They didn’t wait for the Winter Meetings. Multiple reports have the Orioles agreeing to terms with closer Ryan Helsley on a two-year, $28 million deal pending th