Brooks Raley DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (elbow) has begun throwing batting practice to live hitters, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. The lefty is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last May and could advance to a rehab stint by the end of the month. He'll be hoping to retain his form from before the injury, as he posted a 2.80 ERA in 53 innings in 2023 and threw eight scoreless appearances in 2024 before suffering the elbow injury. The 36-year-old won't be relevant in most fantasy leagues, but could be helpful in deep holds leagues if he finds his way back into high leverage situations for New York.

After signing left-handed reliever Brooks Raley (elbow) to a one-year major-league deal earlier this month with a team option for the 2026 season, the New York Mets placed him on the 15-day injured list. The Mets also moved left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot for Raley. The 36-year-old Raley is recovering from Tommy John surgery and probably isn't going to be a relief option for New York's bullpen until the second half of the season. He spent the last two seasons with the Mets but only appeared in eight games out of the bullpen in 2024 before being shut down with his elbow injury. Raley was a key member of the bullpen in 2023, when he had a 2.80 ERA (3.68 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP, three saves, 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 54 2/3 innings. He will continue to build up his arm after TJ surgery.

Relief pitcher Brooks Raley threw a bullpen session with at least a "dozen" teams in attendance, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. Raley logged just seven innings of work with the New York Mets before undergoing Tommy John surgery. However, it appears the southpaw is making significant progress in his recovery and could find himself on a major league team in the coming weeks. Given the timing of his surgery, he will likely not be cleared for the major leagues until after the All-Star break. In 2023, the 36-year-old logged 54 2/3 innings to the tune of a strong 2.80 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP. He tallied 61 punchouts. Fantasy managers should monitor Raley's status as he will likely have a high-leverage role when he finds a suitor and will hold value in leagues that reward holds.