Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees 'Checked In' on This Veteran Left-Handed Reliever, per Insider

The New York Yankees have their eye on an underrated southpaw reliever.
Grant Young|
Jul 30, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (25) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Jul 30, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (25) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

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While the New York Yankees have made a ton of great additions this offseason, they're still without a single left-handed reliever on their 40-man roster.

There's little doubt that the Yankees will address this by the time next season begins, and they have already been linked to several lefties such as elite Rangers hurler Andrew Chafin and former Yankees pitcher Tim Hill.

However, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon revealed in a January 11 article that New York has their eyes on another southpaw who has largely flown under the league's radar thus far.

"Free agent left-handed reliever Brooks Raley has discussed multiyear arrangements with some clubs, league sources said," the article wrote.

"Raley, 36, had Tommy John surgery in May. He hopes to be ready to pitch in games as early as the start of July, people briefed on the matter said. Clubs known to be in the market for bullpen help, including the Cubs and Yankees, have checked in."

The article later added, "Before his injury, Raley had established himself as a steady left-handed option in the back end of bullpens. Of the 10 left-handed relievers who faced at least 300 left-handed batters from 2020 until April 2024, Raley ranked first in strikeout rate (35.2 percent) and WHIP (0.93), among other categories. In 2023, he had a 2.80 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings."

Spotrac projects that Raley will sign a three-year, $6.25 million contract this offseason. Given that fair price and his history of proven success, Raley could be the perfect southpaw for the Yankees to plug into their 2025 roster.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for On SI. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee. You can follow him on X: @GrvntYoung

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