Orioles place Ryan Helsley on 15-day IL again with elbow discomfort, recall Anthony Nunez

Baltimore’s closer is sidelined for at least a couple of weeks after feeling elbow discomfort during the late stages of Wednesday’s win over the White Sox, triggering another bullpen reshuffle ahead of the opener at Cincinnati.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Baltimore Orioles will be without closer Ryan Helsley for at least a couple of weeks again. Before Friday’s opener at Cincinnati, the team placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list with elbow discomfort, marking his second IL stint of the season.

The timing of the setback was sudden. Helsley began to feel discomfort in his elbow while warming during the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. He did not enter the game and returned to the bullpen bench, where the Orioles determined they needed to remove him from action immediately rather than wait for the issue to declare itself further.

This is not the first time the Orioles have dealt with the same arm problem in 2026. Helsley previously missed time from May 1 to June 16 with right elbow inflammation. That earlier stint did not require a procedure. He used anti-inflammatory medication, returned for two rehab appearances in Triple-A, and came back to the Orioles hoping the flare-up had been fully resolved.

When Helsley has been available, he has remained one of the Orioles’ most reliable high-leverage pieces. In his first season with Baltimore, he has posted a 4.11 ERA and converted 8 of 9 save opportunities. The production dipped after his first IL absence, as he recorded a 7.71 ERA in five appearances following his return, compared with a 2.53 ERA in 12 outings before the earlier IL stint. Now, with a second IL placement, the organization will have to rework the late-inning mix for at least the next stretch.

To cover the gap in the bullpen, Baltimore recalled right-hander Anthony Nunez from Triple-A Norfolk ahead of the series opener at Cincinnati. Nunez had been optioned on June 16 after posting a 4.98 ERA across 32 games earlier in the season, his first taste of the major leagues. In Norfolk, he carried a 7.50 ERA in five appearances, a reminder that his immediate recall is more about depth and emergency leverage than long-term replacement performance.

The roster adjustments extended beyond the pitching staff. In addition to Nunez, the Orioles recalled infielder/outfielder Jeremiah Jackson from Triple-A and designated catcher Chadwick Tromp for assignment, as the team decided it no longer needed to keep three backstops on the 26-man active roster. The shake-up reflects the reality that a closer injury cascades through roster construction, not just bullpen usage patterns.

What to watch next is how Baltimore manages leverage without Helsley. The Orioles will likely lean more heavily on established setup options and other bullpen arms during the early part of this series, and the team’s comfort level with those pitchers could shape late-inning assignments well beyond the Cincinnati trip. Helsley’s path back will also be monitored closely, given the elbow discomfort is serious enough to sideline him twice in the same season.

Why It Matters

The immediate impact is bullpen leverage, with Baltimore needing a new plan for ninth-inning or late-game situations while Helsley is out.
Because Helsley’s elbow issues required a second IL stint, the Orioles will face increased uncertainty about how quickly they can stabilize their late-inning roles.
The roster moves show how a closer injury forces broader active-roster changes, affecting both pitching depth and position flexibility.
With Helsley sidelined during the middle of the summer schedule, the Orioles’ ability to win close games could hinge on how their setup corps performs in high-leverage innings.

Sources

Key Facts

The Orioles placed closer Ryan Helsley on the 15-day injured list before Friday’s opener at Cincinnati.
Helsley felt elbow discomfort while warming during the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the White Sox and did not enter the game.
This is Helsley’s second IL stint of 2026; he previously missed time from May 1 to June 16 with right elbow inflammation.
After his first IL absence, Helsley recorded a 7.71 ERA in five appearances, compared with a 2.53 ERA in 12 outings before that earlier stint.
Baltimore recalled right-hander Anthony Nunez from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the bullpen opening.
The Orioles also recalled Jeremiah Jackson and designated catcher Chadwick Tromp for assignment as they trimmed the active roster backstop count.
Helsley has posted a 4.11 ERA and converted 8 of 9 save opportunities in 2026.