Through the first half of the season, New York Mets fans felt the full spectrum of emotions. They began June by winning the season series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and ended it on a 3-14 skid. Ultimately, most would have taken a 55-42 record and a half-game deficit in the National League East at the All-Star break.
As nightly baseball returns and the standings begin to mean something, New York will hope to ride a cleaner bill of health to October baseball. Sean Manaea will make his first start of the season after his 2025 cameo in the final game before the break, and Kodai Senga looked good in his return, too.
Mets’ bullpen gets good news
Among the reinforcements will be left-handed relief pitcher Brooks Raley.
The Mets announced that he has completed his rehab and has been reinstated from the 60-day Injured List. In a corresponding move, lefty Richard Lovelady has been designated for assignment.
New York saw its pitching staff get ravaged by injuries in June, but it has been lacking quality left-handed relief innings for virtually the entire season. A.J. Minter was effective for 11 innings before going down with lat surgery. Danny Young, who quickly became the bullpen’s priority lefty, buckled and ultimately required Tommy John surgery.
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Those injuries left the Mets without a high-leverage lefty, further taxing the bullpen. They turned to the likes of Lovelady, Brandon Waddell, José Castillo, and (for a game) Colin Poche instead, to modest results. New York’s 3.50 ERA from lefty relievers this season ranks 13th, but remains unsustainable, especially as playoff baseball approaches.
Raley, returning from Tommy John, offers the Mets both pedigree and experience. He’s pitched in three separate postseasons, striking out over a batter per inning while pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 3.40 FIP across 13.1 innings.
In 2024, Raley did not allow a run in his eight outings. The season prior, he was a key piece of the ‘pen, posting a 2.80 ERA and appearing in 66 games. For his career, Raley has allowed a .248 wOBA to left-handed hitters. The ability to turn left-handed threats into quad-A lightweights is something the current stable lacks.
His arsenal is headlined by an elite sweeper but also includes an average cutter and sinker, along with a well-commanded changeup to keep righties honest.
Raley also gives manager Carlos Mendoza another arm to turn to late in games. Edwin Díaz, Reed Garrett, and Huascar Brazobán are being used at incredibly high rates. Being able to hand the ball to another quality reliever takes a little pressure off each of them.
On Friday, New York also placed right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn on rehab and shifted reliever José Buttó’s rehab assignment to Triple-A. After picking themselves off the mat, help is on the way for the Mets.
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