The MLB offseason is a time for bold moves and calculated risks. One of the more intriguing storylines bubbling up involves St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who is reportedly drawing interest from multiple teams, including the Detroit Tigers, not as a lockdown reliever, but as a starting pitcher.

It’s a fascinating pivot for a player who has made his name as one of the game’s premier closers. But in an era where teams are constantly searching for creative ways to build a competitive pitching staff, the idea of converting an elite reliever into a starter is gaining serious traction.

Why are the Tigers Interested in Helsley as a Starter?

The Detroit Tigers are sniffing around Ryan Helsley, and they’re not just looking for a new closer. According to reports from The Athletic, Detroit is one of the teams exploring the possibility of stretching Helsley out and plugging him into their starting rotation. This isn’t just smoke; it’s a strategic move that could pay huge dividends if it pans out.

Ryan Helsley, 31, has spent his entire MLB career coming out of the bullpen, making 297 appearances without a single start. You have to go all the way back to his 2019 season with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds to find his last official start. But that doesn’t mean he lacks the arsenal. Relying heavily on a blistering four-seam fastball that touches triple digits and a devastating slider, Helsley also mixes in a cutter and curveball. With some development, that four-pitch mix is exactly what you look for in a modern-day starting pitcher.

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A Look at Ryan Helsley’s Career and Recent Struggles

Ryan Helsley’s journey to this point has been a rollercoaster. He burst onto the scene with the St. Louis Cardinals, earning All-Star selections in 2022 and 2024 and being named the NL Reliever of the Year in 2024 after racking up an incredible 49 saves. He was, without a doubt, one of the most dominant arms in the game.

However, the 2025 season told a different story. After a shaky first half with the Cardinals, a trade-deadline deal sent him to the New York Mets. The move was expected to create a formidable back-end bullpen duo with Edwin Díaz, but it was a disaster. Ryan Helsley struggled mightily in Queens, posting a 7.20 ERA over 20 appearances. Opponents teed off on him, and reports surfaced that he was tipping his pitches, a fatal flaw for any pitcher, let alone a high-leverage reliever. He gave up 16 earned runs in just 20 innings, a far cry from his career ERA of 2.96.

This dip in performance makes his free agency fascinating. Is the difficult stint with the Mets a red flag, or just a bump in the road for a supremely talented pitcher? For teams like the Tigers, it might present a buy-low opportunity on an arm with elite stuff. The potential reward of landing a frontline starter for the price of a reclamation project is a gamble many front offices are willing to take.

The Pitcher Conversion Trend: Risk vs. Reward

Converting a reliever to a starter is a high-stakes game. For every Seth Lugo or Michael King, there’s a Jordan Hicks, who signed with the Giants as a starter but posted a 5.19 ERA before being traded. The physical demands of pitching every five days, navigating a lineup multiple times, and maintaining velocity over several innings are monumental challenges.

For Ryan Helsley, a return to starting would mean expanding his repertoire and building up the stamina required for a starter’s workload. While his minor league background includes 69 starts, he hasn’t been in that role at the highest level. A willingness to embrace this change could open up a much wider market for him. With a free-agent class deep in closers but thin on quality starting pitching, reinventing himself could lead to a more substantial and lucrative contract.