RADIO
Rico Garcia Works in Sixth Inning, Not Expected to Fully Claim Closer Role?
Baltimore Orioles reliever Rico Garcia struck out one over two-thirds of an inning to earn the hold in Friday's 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Garcia replaced Chris Bassit during the sixth inning and retired both batters he faced. The Orioles called on Anthony Nunez for the ninth inning to close out Friday's game. Nunez struck out two over a scoreless inning to pick up his third save of the season. Garcia has been used in high-leverage situations but has not notched a save since May 10. The 32-year-old has been great this season, posting a 0.84 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 21 1/3 frames. Injured closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) is expected to return at the end of May and will regain his role as Baltimore's primary closer when he returns. Garcia should be rostered in leagues that reward holds, but fantasy managers should not count on Garcia for saves for the time being.
Source: MLB
Source: MLB
Ryan Helsley Plays Catch, Feeling Much Better
Baltimore Orioles right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) played catch on Friday for the first time since landing on the 15-day injured list, and he is feeling much better, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Helsley landed on the shelf on May 1. It's good news that he's throwing, but he still has some boxes to check and will most likely need a short minor-league rehab assignment before he can rejoin the back end of Baltimore's bullpen. The 31-year-old former fifth-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015 out of Northeastern State University is a two-time All-Star who led the league with 49 saves in 2024. Helsley also had 21 saves for St. Louis last year before being traded to the New York Mets and falling apart in 22 appearances. He was bouncing back in Baltimore before his elbow injury, striking out 15 while picking up seven saves in his first 10 2/3 innings. Keep him stashed in all fantasy leagues, as he should immediately take over closing duties upon his return. In the meantime, Rico Garcia has proven to be an elite short-term source of saves for fantasy managers.
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
Source: MASN Sports - Roch Kubatko
Rico Garcia an Elite Short-Term Source of Saves
Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Rico Garcia has been nearly unhittable so far this year and is an elite short-term source of saves for fantasy managers with regular closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) still on the injured list. Garcia has given up just one earned run in 19 innings pitched for the O's. Since giving up a home run on April 21 to the Kansas City Royals, Garcia has tossed seven shutout innings with no hits allowed, three walks, and nine strikeouts, and he has also won a game, picked up two saves, and recorded three holds in the process. Overall, the 32-year-old veteran's numbers on the year look absurd -- 3-0 record, 0.47 ERA (2.58 FIP), 0.42 WHIP, 22 strikeouts, seven walks, and three saves in 19 innings pitched. Right-hander Anthony Nunez picked up a save for Baltimore on Monday, but Garcia is the clear best option in the Orioles' bullpen for save chances until Helsley returns from his elbow injury. When Helsley is back, Garcia will still be a strong option in holds leagues. Right now, he's rostered in only 36% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is Rico Garcia the New Closer for the Orioles?
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia earned his third save of the season on Monday and continues to dominate opposing hitters in late-inning situations. With expected closer Ryan Helsley currently on the injured list, Garcia has stepped into a larger role and quickly become a leading option for saves in Baltimore. The 32-year-old has not allowed a run across his last eight appearances, lowering his season numbers to a 0.47 ERA and 0.42 WHIP. Garcia now leads all active Orioles pitchers in saves and continues to handle high-leverage opportunities effectively. In his sixth MLB season, Garcia has emerged as a priority fantasy target out of the Orioles bullpen.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Orioles Turn to Anthony Nunez to Earn Save, Remains Option in Closer Committee
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Anthony Nunez earned his second save of the season on Monday night in his team's 3-2 victory over the Yankees. With Rico Garcia taking on the heart of New York's batting order in the eighth inning, Nunez came on in the ninth and locked down the victory with one strikeout and one hit against him. He gave up a single to Paul Goldschmidt with two outs, but pinch-runner Jose Caballero was thrown out attempting to steal second base to end the game. Nunez has a 4.05 ERA and 4.57 FIP in his 20 innings this season with a win, two saves, and six holds. He hasn't been quite as dominant as Garcia, but the two high-leverage options will likely continue to split the closer workload for Baltimore until Ryan Helsley (elbow) is ready to return from the injured list. If you need saves in a deep league, Nunez is an option to consider, although Garcia is still the preferred pickup if he's available.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rico Garcia Deployed in Eighth Inning in Victory
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rico Garcia was excellent in his inning of work on Monday night in his team's 3-2 win over the Yankees. However, his fantasy managers will be disappointed that he was brought into the eighth inning instead of the ninth and earned a hold rather than a save. Garcia faced Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, retiring the heart of the Yankees' lineup in order with two strikeouts. He only needed nine pitches to get through the inning, but was replaced by Anthony Nunez for the ninth. Garcia has a stellar 0.47 ERA and 0.42 WHIP in his 19 innings this season, with 22 strikeouts and seven walks. He had two saves and a win in his previous three appearances and will continue to get high-leverage spots for the Orioles. He is definitely still a top option for saves in Baltimore, but this game is a reminder that he's still part of a committee. He's a solid short-term add while Ryan Helsley (elbow) is out, but he isn't the only primary ninth-inning option for the O's, which does slightly hurt his fantasy value.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Ryan Helsley has Not Resumed Throwing
Baltimore Orioles right-handed closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) has not resumed throwing as he recovers from right-elbow inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list on May 1, according to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. The good news is that Helsley did some running drills at Camden Yards over the weekend. He will not be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible this week, so fantasy managers must remain patient with the 31-year-old veteran reliever. In his 12 appearances (10 2/3 innings) for the O's this year before his injury, Helsley went 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, seven saves, 15 strikeouts, and seven walks. Helsley had a league-high 49 saves in 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals and was named to his second All-Star team, but he struggled in 2025 after being traded to the New York Mets. He should be stashed in an IL spot while he recovers and will return to closing duties in Baltimore when he's ready. Rico Garcia has both of the team's saves since Helsley landed on the shelf, and he's the team's primary short-term option for saves.
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Jacob Calvin Meyer
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Jacob Calvin Meyer
