ST. LOUIS -- When he was first an All-Star in 2022, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley hit the Midsummer Classic with five wins and eight saves, but he had yet to fully embrace his role or even understand the scope of his massive potential.

Being a reliever is one thing, Helsley better understands now in his second All-Star season. But being a closer -- and being someone who teams look at to finish games with cold precision -- is about possessing a certain fearless mindset as much as it is about having strikeout stuff.

This season, as Helsley moved fully into that closer role for the Cards and has posted numbers beyond what even he thought were possible, he has marveled at how his career has evolved in only two years.

¡°This time around I¡¯m more of a closer, and last time I was just a reliever,¡± said Helsley, MLB¡¯s most dominant reliever over the first half of the season. ¡°I¡¯ve taken that role on head-on, and I¡¯ve just tried to be available every day and with every opportunity that comes my way.¡±

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and pitching coach Dusty Blake played huge roles in making sure that Helsley would be more available this season, formulating a plan in Spring Training where their closer would only be used in the ninth inning of games and would not be asked to get more than three outs an appearance. Availability has been an issue the past two seasons for Helsley, who was often tasked with pitching multiple innings. That style might have played a role in Helsley straining the flexor tendon in his right forearm in 2023 and missing 2 1/2 months of action, before returning and finishing strong.

The change in Helsley¡¯s usage has been a boon for a Cardinals team that dug out of a 15-24 start with a stretch in which they went 33-18 to surge as high as six games over .500. They¡¯ve also had to live dangerously to do so, going 18-12 in one-run games.

Possessing a triple-digit fastball and a wipeout slider, Helsley has made most of those leads stand up with his dominance out of the bullpen. He blew his first save opportunity of the season on March 30, but then rattled off 31 consecutive saves -- a Cardinals record both for saves before the All-Star Game and consecutive saves converted. He leads MLB in saves (32) and save opportunities (34), and he¡¯s pitched in 37 wins, second only to Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase (42). Helsley, a two-time Closer of the Month, joined Hall of Famers Bruce Sutter and Lee Smith as the only Cardinals relievers to make multiple All-Star Games.

Marmol marvels at the maturation of Helsley and how the reliever has worked to make himself more available for the team. Of course, the growth and additions of JoJo Romero (tied for the MLB lead with 26 holds) and Andrew Kittredge (third-best with 25 holds) have allowed the Cardinals to use less of Helsley and get more out of him. When Marmol revealed to the Cardinals that Helsley was an All-Star following a recent win, the closer told teammates that his setup men should be joining him for the festivities in Arlington.

Instead, Helsley will be the Cardinals' lone All-Star representative, although he won't pitch in the game and was replaced on the National League roster by Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan. His selection was a no-brainer, considering how consistent and dominant he¡¯s been throughout, Marmol said.

¡°He¡¯s been incredible,¡± Marmol said. ¡°He¡¯s been taking the ball every time. His availability has been key to our success. We have such a small margin for how we win ballgames, and his ability to take the ball as much as he has, it has led to a lot of our success. So, he¡¯s been a big key for us, for sure.¡±

When Helsley first became an All-Star in 2022, he didn¡¯t think life could get much better. He threw MLB¡¯s fastest pitch three times that season, topping out at 104.1 mph, and he also compiled the first immaculate inning of his career. He set a new high in saves, and he and his wife, Alex, became first-time parents.

Recently, Alex started picking out matching outfits for herself and their daughter to wear during the All-Star festivities to celebrate Helsley¡¯s second appointment to the Midsummer Classic. This time he¡¯s going back, not just as a reliever, but as a closer.

¡°I had big goals this offseason to really try to stay as healthy as best I could, and I think pitching one inning a game has helped with that,¡± Helsley said. ¡°It feels good to help us win. In the moment, you¡¯re just going out there and trying to do your job. But from an aerial view, it feels good to know I¡¯m closing games and helping the team win.¡±