Devin Williams, Luke Weaver meet NY Mets contract expectations, another exceeds them

Money usually tells you exactly what to expect out of a bullpen. The New York Mets handed real dollars to Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, and so far, they have looked the part. Late innings have been steady, the results have matched the investment, and nothing about their performance feels out of line with what those contracts were supposed to bring.

The best return in this group is not tied to those contracts. There is a left-hander putting up the same results, sometimes better, without the salary that usually comes with it. Not just compared to his own bullpen, but stacked against left-handed relievers across the league, the production holds up while the price does not. He is giving premium results on a clearance rack price, and the Mets are cashing in every time he gets the ball.

Brooks Raley gives the Mets elite value vs teammates and the MLB reliever market

The Amazins picked up Raley’s $4.75 million club option after seeing exactly what he could do when healthy, and he rewarded that decision right away. In 2025, coming back from Tommy John surgery that cut short his 2024 season, Raley posted a 2.45 ERA over 25.1 innings. He allowed just 14 hits, walked 6, and struck out 25, giving the Mets steady, reliable innings throughout the season.

The performance was not limited to one type of hitter. Lefties had no chance, hitting .103 with a .138 slugging percentage, but right-handers were not any better at .177 with a .242 slug. Nearly 25% of his work came in high-leverage spots, showing how much the Mets trusted him. That has carried into this season, where he has opened with 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 7.

Across the league, those results usually come with a much higher salary. Tanner Scott is making $18 million a year, A.J. Minter is at $11 million, Gregory Soto is at $7.75 million, Aroldis Chapman is at $13.3 million and Steven Matz signed for $7.5 million annually. The Mets themselves committed $17 million to Devin Williams and $11 million to Luke Weaver, and both have done their jobs so far, allowing no runs. over 10 innings of work.

Raley has been doing this since he got to the Mets, and nothing about it has changed. The usage is real, the matchups are real, and the results have been there the entire time. That is the same role teams are paying a premium for across the league. The difference is that the Mets are getting that level of production without paying that kind of money, which is what makes his value stand out.