The New York Mets have been one of the biggest disappointments in Major League Baseball this year. After a second-half collapse that led to them narrowly missing the postseason in 2025, they now sit in last place in the National League East at 38-54.
At this point, the expectation is that they will sell at the trade deadline, and that will likely include the likes of Freddy Peralta. But he won’t be the only player that is dealt away this summer as they try to focus on the future and contending again in 2027.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report named left-hander Brooks Raley as a possible buy-low trade candidate for the Mets.
“Brooks Raley might not be the guy an NL contender acquires to get Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper or Matt Olson out in the eighth inning, but he could be someone an aggressive manager turns to in the sixth to try to get out of a jam against a tough lefty,” Kelly wrote.
“Lefties are hitting just .188 with a .572 OPS against Raley this year. In the three-batter minimum era, you need to be able to get out righties as well, and he has done that, with right-handed hitters batting .236 with a .698 OPS off of him this season.”
What Teams Could Be Interested?
A lot of teams could use bullpen help at the trade deadline. Rental relief pitching always seems to come at a premium, and even for those on expiring contracts, a contending team is often willing to overpay.
Teams like the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals might make sense. All four teams could use an extra bullpen arm to carry them through the rest of the 2026 season, so they could potentially be in play for Raley, who has performed quite well this season.
Bullpen help is usually a hot commodity this time of year, so it’s very likely that there will be a lot of teams that show interest in trading for Raley, who is a solid lefty specialist out of any bullpen.
The Case for Trading Him
The Mets are obviously out of contention at this point, but the 38-year-old left-hander has been a bright spot for the team, having posted a 2.23 ERA in his 36 appearances this year.
Once again, teams will often overpay for rental relievers. He may be a buy-low option, but his success could potentially allow the Mets to land a decent prospect or two as they focus on 2027 and beyond.
They also could potentially re-sign him in the offseason if they trade him now, but it makes sense for them to get something for him while they still can instead of holding onto him.
It will be interesting to see how David Stearns operates this year at the deadline, as the Mets have a lot of work to do as likely sellers. Raley may not be a high-leverage arm, but he is one that can help a contending team make a push towards a spot in the postseason this October.
Mets Veteran Arm Called ‘Buy-Low’ Trade Candidate As Deadline Approaches