BALTIMORE — Ryan Helsley was excellent for the Cardinals for 6 ¹/₂ seasons, two of which included trips to the All-Star Game. This year, he has begun excellently for the Orioles, entering Thursday’s doubleheader 7-for-7 in save opportunities with a 2.53 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 10 ²/₃ innings.

A season later, he still cannot fully understand why his stop between the Cardinals and Orioles went so poorly for himself and for the Mets.

“Just for whatever reason, it just didn’t work out,” Helsley said from Camden Yards. “I felt pretty good while I was there, and I felt like we had an insanely talented team, and for whatever reason we couldn’t win games. It was a weird, weird feeling.

“I’m sure for the guys who are there again this year, I’m sure it feels a little similar. It’s not a fun spot to be in.”