JUPITER, Fla. — Whatever sting he felt in the room as the Cardinals’ representatives presented blunt, pointed reasons their All-Star closer did not have the strength of season he thought had faded by the time Ryan Helsley returned to camp.
But not the echo – or the motivation it offered.
Helsley returned to the Cardinals’ spring training complex the day after an arbiter decided against his case and awarded him the team’s offer of a $2.15 million contract for the coming season. Helsley, fresh off a sub-2.00 ERA season and All-Star appearance as one of the top relievers in the game, had argued for a $3 million salary.