Helsley developing cutter to add to an already impressive arsenal

JUPITER, Fla. -- One of baseball's most dominant relievers is developing a new way to flummox hitters.

Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley spent the offseason developing a cutter to go with his triple-digit fastball, slider and curve.

¡°I think it could be good,¡± Helsley said. ¡°Still need a little work to get a good feel for it. Don't know if I'll use it much in season, but I¡¯m trying to see if it's something I can add. Obviously, Spring Training is a good time to do that kind of thing.¡±

The cutter isn't exactly a new pitch for Helsley. He tried throwing one early in his Minor League career.

Helsley credits Cardinals Minor League pitching instructor Jason Isringhausen with the pitch's rapid development.

¡°I think I've seen some good reactions from hitters, and the numbers kind of back it up,¡± Helsley said. ¡°I think it could be something I use. Obviously, have to look at some scouting reports and stuff like that throughout the season, and try to pick and choose where I use it.¡±

Helsley, a right-hander, primarily views the cutter as a weapon against lefties, using it to tie up batters.

¡°It's something that looks like my fastball for a little while longer, and maybe get it on their hands a little more,¡± Helsley said. ¡°I think it's always good when you can have another pitch you can throw for strikes.¡±

Last year, with hitters sitting on his fastball, Helsley threw twice as many sliders compared to 2023. According to Baseball Savant, he threw the slider more often than his fastball.

The cutter adds a fourth option to his arsenal.

Helsley's cutter has been clocked in the low 90s, a few miles per hour slower than this fastball, allowing it to play well off both his fastball and slider.

¡°We're going to continue to see it,¡± manager Oliver Marmol said. ¡°He had success without it. You add another variable, it makes it much tougher on the opposition. So it is something we'll evaluate as he gets more comfortable with it and we get closer to breaking camp.¡±

Ultimately, Helsley's ability to command the cutter will determine whether it can become a regular-season weapon.

¡°It's in the zone and it moves good,¡± catcher Iv¨¢n Herrera said. ¡°It looks like something he's been working on his whole life. It's a pretty good pitch. I think it's going to be really good for him.¡±

Developing the cutter offers another benefit to Helsley. Working on a new pitch makes spring more fun.

¡°It really does,¡± Helsley said. ¡°It's exciting to go out there and have something new to tinker with and just see how guys react. We've got some of the best hitters in the world over here in Spring Training. So just getting to go at them with that pitch and see how it plays, it's fun.¡±

Helsley intended to throw a cutter or two in his most recent outing but didn't have the opportunity.

On Saturday against the Nationals, Helsley needed only five pitches to retire the first two batters he faced. The plan for the third batter, Robert Hassell III, was to start him with a fastball, followed by the first cutter of the game.

Hassell ruined that plan by grounding out to short for the third out of the inning on the fastball, ending Helsley's afternoon.

¡°I got ahead of guys and I never complain about quick outs,¡± said Helsley, who's allowed two runs in four innings this spring. ¡°Always love getting early contact and getting outs.¡±

Helsley recorded plenty of early outs en route to setting a Cardinals record of 49 saves last season, one more than Trevor Rosenthal's previous record set in 2015. He also won seven games while striking out 79 in 66 1/3 innings and posting a 2.04 ERA.

¡°You kind of look back at it as a what-you're-capable-of type thing,¡± Helsley said of his record-breaking season. ¡°In this game, and life in general, you kind of have to show up every day and prove it. So I use it as motivation.¡±

Helsley expects to take the mound again on Tuesday against Miami.