About a month ago, Alex Helsley had a pretty good feeling about her husband’s chances of being named to this year’s MLB All-Star Game .
When he was first selected, in 2022, she was nearly nine months pregnant with their daughter, Eliana, and not able to fully enjoy the festivities, especially the red carpet entrances for players named to the game and their loved ones.
She got to work shopping for a new suit for Ryan and a matching ensemble for her and Eliana, and if she was concerned about a jinx, she didn’t need to be. The St. Louis Cardinals closer will indeed represent the team at the midsummer classic in Arlington, Texas, creating an outstanding opportunity for the family to celebrate what has already been a record-breaking season.
“I don’t think it ever gets old,” Helsley said. “It’s really awesome to be named one of the top of the league’s players. That’s really cool.”
Though he’s present in Arlington for all the pre-game festivities, Helsley announced Monday that he’d surrender his spot on the NL roster and use the week to rest his arm for the second half of the season.
Still, after an offseason in which the Cardinals committed to using Helsley under strict conditions and as a pure closer, they’ve seen an immediate payoff. Helsley set a franchise record for the most saves before the break, and in the process, became only the second Cardinal (after Hall of Famer Lee Smith ) to record 30 saves over that timespan.
His now-franchise record streak of 31 consecutive saves converted bested the old record by seven, set by Alex Reyes in his All-Star season in 2021. Helsley’s streak was broken only on a game-tying single which cashed in an automatic runner in extra innings, and he would end up recording the win in that game after the Cardinals rallied in the 11th inning and he finished off his first multi-inning appearance of the season.
Questions about durability have seemingly been left behind, even as his workload mounts and he remains on pace to post a career high in innings by a significant margin. The team’s strict usage plan and his ability to stay both strong and available have paved the way to making him a polished, finished product who now is one of the top closers in baseball.
One of the perks that comes with that status is taking the opportunity to relish and celebrate the honor of being named to the game while still making sure to preserve the ability to rest and enjoy the break. Helsley said that having gone through the experience once before will allow him to better navigate some of the stresses that come with the game’s packed schedule.
“It’s not a break at all, honestly,” he said. “There’s always something going on, you’ve gotta be here for this or that…it’s a lot, but I think it’s fun and it’s something you definitely don’t take for granted.”
The game also holds a special appeal for Helsley, who said he noted its Texas location over the winter when considering his goals for the season. Globe Life Field, the home of the Rangers, is just a four hour drive from Helsley’s home in Tahlequah, Okla. As one of the few enrolled Tribal citizens pitching in the majors, an opportunity to perform on such a big stage in front of so many of his loved ones and friends is something he treasures.
Helsley said he anticipates as many as 50 people in the stands cheering for him, though he did note with a laugh that many would have to be responsible for their own tickets. Second time to the game or not, there’s a premium on All-Star seats, and they’re not easy to come by even for players.
The second trip down also has importance in terms of how the game itself will be played. He pitched the eighth inning of the 2022 game for the NL, and was warming up as his temporary teammates were lobbying for Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar to get the ninth. New York Mets relief ace Edwin Díaz, the de facto top reliever on that team, had perhaps the loudest voice in the chorus urging Bednar in, given that it was Bednar’s first trip to the game.
With a busy season of work at his back and more to come, Helsley did concede that actually pitching in the game was not at the top of his list of priorities.
“I’ve been pretty active this first half,” he said. “Might not be the worst thing for me to just go and hang out and get some rest for a few days.”
Whether or not he climbs the mound during the game, the experience of the trip and the ability for so many people in his life to see him recognized for his work and success is more than enough reward for the Cardinals closer, for now. The real work resumes in suburban Atlanta when play resumes.
Most Popular
Comments / 0