Clay Holmes wasn’t the only New York Mets player they tried to reinvent last off-season. Now, another one of their bullpen arms, Ryan Helsley, could be next in line for a major role change. And here is the main twist—the Detroit Tigers have an eye on him.

Ken Rosenthal, Cody Stavenhagen, and Katie Woo of The Athletic broke the news, “Ryan Helsley, starting pitcher? The Detroit Tigers are among the clubs talking to the free-agent right-hander about becoming a starter, according to people familiar with his market.” But honestly, the idea is not far-fetched at all.

Helsley was drafted as a starter back in 2015, but once he hit the majors in 2019, he became a full-time reliever. Teams have seen this kind of story before. Seth Lugo, Michael King, and Holmes himself have pulled off successful bullpen-to-rotation transitions.

So, what Rosenthal and the rest are saying makes a lot of sense. Now, Helsley hasn’t started since Triple-A Memphis in 2019, but given he has the foundation, it wouldn’t be completely new for him.

As for the Tigers, they seem to be in the perfect landing spot. Their rotation sure has Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, and Troy Melton—but uncertainty hangs over the Tigers. Skubal is right now entering his final year before he hits free agency. As for the extension with the Tigers, there seems to be a massive gap.

And even if the Tigers say that they want to keep him, some among the 29 teams will make calls when they feel the window for Skubal is cracked open. The bidding will for sure be insane! This is why the Tigers need some reinforcements in case things go south. Ryan Helsley can be a solution when the starting pitching market is rather thin.

Sure, he struggled after joining the Mets—a 7.20 ERA and pitch-tipping issues. But he is also the guy who led MLB with 49 saves in 2024 and won NL Reliever of the Year. The raw stuff has not gone anywhere. But of course, converting him back into a starter has its own risks. Jordan Hicks tried it, and he simply ended up flaming out. But it seems that sometimes, calculated risks need to be taken.

Rays eye bold trade for Mets’ Kodai Senga 

The Tampa Bay Rays are not exactly strolling into a relaxed off-season. With the AL East gearing up to spend big time, Tampa Bay is once again left to do what it does best—work smarter if not richer. And this winter, that might mean getting into the trade market for a starting pitcher who seems to for sure need a fresh start.

The name is Kodai Senga!

The New York Mets’ right-hander was recently projected as a fit for the Tampa Bay Rays. And it makes perfect sense. When he is healthy, Senga has been a legitimate All-Star upside. The only problem is that he hasn’t been healthy consistently. Mechanical issues have only made things more complicated for him.

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Because of that, the Mets are apparently very open to moving him, and the Rays are one of the best teams in baseball at reviving pitchers who need a reset.

Now, if you are being real, Senga’s $15 million salary is not a Rays-type contract. They aren’t going to suddenly turn into the Dodgers. But if the Mets end up paying part of his deal, then it could get really interesting.

The Rays’ front office loves a bargain, and Senga could be the perfect fix here. And the Mets needed that outfield help yesterday. Tampa has some extras lying around—one name is Jake Mangum, who could be a straight swap for Senga. This is if New York eats some of that money away.

It is all very complicated and creative—but very Rays. And if they can pull this off, it will no doubt be one of the savviest moves of the off-season.