New York Mets lefty Brooks Raley set to begin rehab assignment

New York Mets left-handed relief pitcher Brooks Raley is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment for St. Lucie on Tuesday.

Mar 31, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (25) pitches in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have made a key decision on left-handed relief pitcher Brooks Raley.

Raley, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2024, will begin a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie on Tuesday, as the Mets announced.

As president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters last week, Raley could require the full 30-day window for his rehab assignment. This would mean that the lefty reliever could be back in the Mets' bullpen by mid-July.

The Mets could use a healthy Raley as another left-handed arm in their 'pen after losing A.J. Minter (lat surgery) and Danny Young (Tommy John surgery) for the season. New York is currently only carrying one lefty in their bullpen in newcomer Jose Castillo, who holds a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings.

The Mets acquired Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays during Winter Meetings back in 2022. The 36-year-old proceeded to put together a dominant year in 2023 for the Mets, posting a 2.80 ERA and 1.26 WHIP to go along with 61 strikeouts across 66 appearances.

Prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery last year, Raley got off to a strong start in 2024 by pitching seven shutout innings in relief.

The Mets re-signed Raley to a one-year deal with a 2026 club option back in April.

New York is expected to go after high-leverage relief arms ahead of the trade deadline, but the addition of a healthy Raley would be similar to landing a reliever of said caliber. The Mets' bullpen holds a 3.08 ERA as a unit through the first 72 regular season games.