Mets reliever Brooks Raley will endure Tommy John surgical procedure subsequent week, studies Tim Healey of Newsday. That’ll finish his 2024 season and sure value him no less than the primary half of the ’25 marketing campaign.
It may additionally mark the tip of Raley’s time in Queens. The 35-year-old southpaw (36 in June) is ready to hit free company subsequent offseason. Raley is taking part in this season on a $6.5MM wage after the Mets exercised a membership choice at first of final winter. That was a straightforward determination contemplating how properly Raley pitched between 2022-23.
In 126 appearances over that stretch, he turned in a 2.74 earned run common behind a 26.8% strikeout fee. The Mets obtained some commerce calls ultimately summer season’s deadline (and fairly possible once more over the winter) however elected to carry onto him as their prime left-handed setup choice.
That’ll sadly go down as a principally misplaced funding. Raley had a superb begin to the season, working seven scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts over eight appearances. He landed on the injured listing on April 21 with what finally proved to a season-ending harm. Whereas the Mets initially recognized the problem as irritation and projected a short-term absence, later testing revealed ligament harm.
With out Raley, the Mets are gentle on left-handed relievers. Jake Diekman is their clear prime choice. The 37-year-old has made 20 appearances and posted his typical mix of giant strikeout and stroll tallies. Diekman has punched out 23 of his 70 opponents (practically 33%) whereas issuing 14 walks (20%). He owns a 3.86 ERA throughout 16 1/3 innings. The veteran is an efficient reliever general, however he’s in all probability miscast as a crew’s greatest left-hander.
Josh Walker has been on and off the energetic roster all through the season. He’s at the moment in a center reduction position. Danny Younger is on non-obligatory task to Triple-A Syracuse. Tyler Jay noticed a little bit of MLB time early within the season and stays within the group after being outrighted from the 40-man roster a month in the past. The Mets may welcome swingman David Peterson again from the 60-day injured listing as quickly as subsequent week. Whether or not he’ll work from the bullpen or seize a rotation spot — possible instead of the struggling Adrian Houser — continues to be to be decided.
Raley has spent the final month on the 15-day IL. The Mets can transfer him to the 60-day at any time that they should open a spot on the 40-man roster (although they have already got two vacancies in that regard). His camp will presumably search for a two-year deal when he hits the open market, possible with a low base wage within the first season.
