UPDATE: Due to startling surgery, Mets forfeit their chance to acquire another Brooks Raley transaction.
Before the 2023 season, the New York Mets acquired left-handed reliever Brooks Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Keyshawn Askew. Raley was not widely recognized, having had a brief stint with the Chicago Cubs in 2012 and 2013, then spending 2015-2019 in Korea. He returned to MLB in 2020, moving from the Cincinnati Reds to the Houston Astros, and ultimately to the Rays in 2022 before joining the Mets.
Raley had a highly successful tenure with the Mets. In 2023, he posted a 2.80 ERA over 66 appearances and didn’t allow any runs in 2024 before being placed on the IL. Unfortunately, he is now expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his opportunity to continue competing with the Mets.
Carlos Mendoza confirms Brooks Raley will undergo season-ending surgery. Currently to be determined if it's Tommy John or the brace surgery
"It's unfortunate because he gave everything he had" pic.twitter.com/uIOA0Ncy50
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2024
The lengthy rehabilitation process for Raley will likely prompt the Mets to explore alternative options moving forward. With Raley turning 36 next month, his chances of pitching at all in 2025 are uncertain. We extend our best wishes for his recovery and express frustration that the Mets couldn’t capitalize on his talent or potentially make a successful trade involving him this summer.
Consider the Mets the early winners in the original Brooks Raley trade
Keyshawn Askew hasn’t quite hit his stride with the Rays’ farm system. Last season, he maintained a 3.99 ERA over 97 innings, serving both as a starter and a reliever across High-A and Double-A levels. This year, his ERA has improved to 3.18 in Double-A, but now exclusively working out of the bullpen, his WHIP stands high at 1.47, with a walk rate of 4.8 per 9 innings, and a drop in strikeouts to 8.5 per 9 innings. Nonetheless, Askew has showcased an impressive career strikeout rate of 12 per 9 innings, hinting at his potential as a future standout reliever for Tampa Bay.
The one-for-one swap involving Askew and Raley could be considered one of Billy Eppler’s better moves, as Askew holds promise for the future. Reflecting on the Mets’ offseason decisions, retaining Raley by picking up his $6.5 million option was an obvious choice following his strong debut season. The addition of another former Rays pitcher, Jake Diekman, added reinforcement to the bullpen. Looking ahead, the Mets will rely on Diekman and the consistently reliable Josh Walker as their primary left-handed options out of the bullpen.