Brooks Raley: Mets Left-Handed Specialist (2023 - 2024)
MLB Career: In 2012 Brooks was promoted to the Cubs staff in August, making five starts going 1-2 with a 8.14 ERA. In 2013 he was up & down from AAA Iowa three times, making nine appearances with a 5.14 ERA allowing sight runs in 14 innings.
Korean Baseball Organization: In December 2014 Raley signed a contract to play in the Korean Baseball Organization with the Lotte Giants. He played in five years in the KBO going 48-53 with a 4.13 ERA striking out 755 batters in 910 innings.
Covid19 season. After four games he was traded to the Houston Astros for a player to be named later. In 17 appearances he went 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA. 2020 Post Season: Rayley made an appearance in one game of the ALWC. In the ALDS he took the loss in Game #3 giving up a pair of runs to the Oakland Athletics. It was the only game Oakland won in the series.
2020 ALCS: In the ALCS he made four appearances in the seven-game loss to the Tampa Rays. In Game #5 he was credited with a hold retiring three batters over the 6th & 7th innings.
In 2021 he returned to the Astros appearing in 58 games, going 2-3 with six saves posting a 3.94 ERA. Rayley recorded his first save in the third game of the season.
2021 Post Season: In the ALDS he gave up three runs to the Chicago White Sox in the Game #3 loss. In the ALCS he appeared in three games of relief in the win over the Boston Red Sox.
2021 World Series: Rayley got to his first World Series that year & would appear in four games. He finished off Game #1 & was credited with a hold in Game #4. In four games he posted a 2.70 ERA allowing a run in 3.1 innings.
In 2022 he signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Rays. He started out the season with a save against the Orioles on Opening Day. On May 6th, he pitched the 9th inning in Seattle earning his first & only victory of the season.
Mets Career: On December 7th, 2022, he was traded to the New York Mets for Keyshawn Askew.
On Opening Day, Raley made his Mets debut pitching a scoreless 8th inning with two strike outs, collecting a hold in the 5-3 win in South Florida.
On April 4th, Raley had his worst outing of the year giving up back-to-back HRs to Brian Anderson & Garrett Mitchell in a 8-0 loss to the Brewers. The Anderson HR was a three-run shot after he had given up two singles.
Raley didn't give up another earned run over his next ten games, in 8.0 innings.
Pitching In Both Ends of a Twin Bill: On May 21st, he pitched in both games of a double header sweep over Cleveland. Raley earned a hold in the first game & then collected his first Mets save in the night cap. He was the first Mets since Josh Smoker in 2017 to appear in both games of a double header.
On June 7th the Braves handed him his first loss of the year. On August 1st, Raley took his second loss blowing a 10th inning 6-4 lead in Kansas City. He gave up a double to Bobby Witt Jr. & a single to KC Melendez. The Mets lost the game when Josh Walker balked in the winning run.
On the season, Raley recorded 25 holds (tied for 10th in the majors). The 25 holds are tied with
Mike Stanton for fourth most in a season in Mets history. He was 1-2 with three saves a 2.80 ERA with career highs in appearances (66) & innings (54.2). He struck out 61 batters & walked 25.
On April 19th Raley went down with injury, a month later it was determined the 35-year-old would need elbow surgery to repair a UCL strain.
Quotes- Carlos Mendoza: "It's unfortunate because he gave everything he had."
Family: Rayley met his wife at Texas A&M, where she played for the school's women's soccer team. Together they have four children, three girls & a boy.
Brooks comes from a baseball family, his father played in the Toronto Blue Jays organization from 1981-1982. Two of his bothers Russell & Cory also played minor league ball.
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