The news surrounding Brooks Raley continues getting worse for the New York Mets. The organization initially placed the reliever on the injured list in late April and expected him to miss just the minimum 15 games. Then, he suffered a setback due to unclear test results and lack of progress. Now, according to Tim Healey of Newsday, Raley will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and miss the rest of the season.
News: Brooks Raley will have season-ending Tommy John surgery next week, a source told Newsday. https://t.co/LbERV2nwRj
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 21, 2024
The 35-year-old was having an excellent season before an elbow issue sidelined him. He allowed zero earned runs in eight games while striking out nine and walking three. He represented the top lefty in a surprisingly strong Mets bullpen while pairing with Adam Ottavino and Edwin Díaz as the main options in high-leverage situations.
Unfortunately, the Mets will not get Raley back this year due to the nature of Tommy John rehab. That represents a huge blow for a team that has used many arms and witnessed a meltdown from its ace reliever. Plus, if the Mets eventually sell at the deadline, Raley likely would have been a hot asset on the market.
Brooks Raley To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Miss Rest of Season
Raley’s Tommy John news cements Jake Diekman as the top southpaw in the Mets bullpen. Entering Tuesday, the veteran has posted a 3.45 ERA (114 ERA+) with a great strikeout rate in 15 2/3 innings.
However, those numbers will decline as Diekman gave up a two-run homer to David Fry on Tuesday and only lasted 2/3 of an inning. It marked the second straight appearance in which Diekman allowed a home run.
With Diekman taking on a bigger role, New York has used Josh Walker, Tyler Jay, and Danny Young as low-leverage southpaws. Nate Lavender made a name for himself with an intriguing Triple-A performance last year. However, like Raley, he will miss the rest of 2024 due to a Tommy John-related surgery.
Mets pitching injury updates from David Stearns:
-Unsure if Brooks Raley will avoid surgery, recommended conservative care first
-Shintaro Fujinami has a shoulder strain, will be out a while but surgery not expected
-Nate Lavender underwent brace surgery and is out for the season pic.twitter.com/E8W11zdjIe— SNY (@SNYtv) May 16, 2024
Losing Raley represents a huge blow for a Mets team that lacks a margin for error. For the team to make the playoffs, factors need to go right. Raley missing the season is the opposite of that, and it’s unlikely that New York will find a legitimate replacement for him.
That said, the healthy players can’t worry about that. If the Mets want to contend, the team will need healthy stars to start producing. Without that, the team would likely miss the playoffs even with a healthy Raley.
Main Photo Credits: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
