3 NY Mets trade targets the team should start scouting to replace Brooks Raley

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It might be a while before we see Brooks Raley back on the field. The New York Mets left-handed reliever isn’t close to throwing again which is a sign that he’ll likely be out for months. Bad news with injuries tends to be even worse than suspected.

Brooks Raley is not close to throwing and will visit another doctor this week https://t.co/bcKHBJeX6B pic.twitter.com/U6Kgq1saWT
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 10, 2024

Brooks Raley mentioned UCL damage and bone spurs but said “I don’t know all the details” and “it’s a little more complex” than a simple diagnosis. He said he’ll see Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, which he hopes will provide clarity on the best course — surgery or not.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 11, 2024

So what do the Mets do? They’ll ask Jake Diekman to get those big outs against left-handed hitters. They’ll probably mix in Josh Walker, Danny Young, and maybe even Tyler Jay again onto the roster. The Mets will, undoubtedly, also keep an eye on the trade market.

It’s not too soon for a deal to strike either. Teams are already throwing in the towel. The Miami Marlins traded Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres. Much less notable was Robbie Grossman going from the equally as bad Chicago White Sox to the Texas Rangers. The Mets might not pull the trigger too quickly, however, they should already have a close eye on these three left relievers who could be on the move this summer in a trade.

1) Jalen Beeks

If there’s a guy the Mets could possibly pick up in a trade tomorrow, it’s Jalen Beeks. A former teammate of Raley’s with the Tampa Bay Rays, Beeks found his way to the Colorado Rockies in the offseason via waiver claim. Coming off of an unimpressive 2023 campaign with the Rays featuring a 5.95 ERA in 42.1 innings, he has actually yielded far better results with the Rockies to start the season.

Through 18.1 innings, Beeks is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA. He has walked batters at a rate of 3.9 per 9 and struck them out at a surprisingly low 6.9 per 9. In his past three seasons (excluding 2021 which he missed due to injury), he was over 10 per 9. The secret to his success might be how few line drives are getting hit off the bat against him. He’s at only 9.4% this season.

Beeks, like many relievers, has been up and down over the years. His time with the Rays concluded with a 4.18 ERA. You can swing numbers he posted in Tampa Bay in either direction. In years when his ERA was high, his FIP tended to be lower and vice versa. In either case, he seems like a perfectly attainable arm for the Mets to grab.

Beeks is incredibly affordable at under $2 million. He becomes a free agent at the end of the season so the commitment isn’t major. Amazingly, he even has a minor league option left. What’ll it cost, Rockies?

2) JoJo Romero

As obvious as it is for the Rockies to wave the white flag, the St. Louis Cardinals might convince themselves to live another day. They aren’t as far out of contention as Colorado. However, a slow start and a whole lot of underperforming offensive players could have them selling for the second straight year. One player fitting this theme of Raley replacements is lefty JoJo Romero.

A groundball pitcher who relies heavily on his sinker, Romero would fit in nicely as a member of the Mets bullpen based on the team’s philosophy of having pitchers with different strengths. Guys with different kinds of stuff, arm slots, etc. were a part of the process in building what has thus far been a successful group of relievers. Not prone to give up home runs, his better attribute to the bullpen might be throwing strikes. He has shown excellent command this season.

Romero has dropped his ERA down to 1.42 in 19 innings with a strikeout per frame. He has walked just 2 batters and is the proud owner of a ridiculous 0.52 WHIP at the moment. A heavy 60% groundball percentage and a hard-hit percentage under 30% help to explain why he has been so remarkable.

A costly trade deadline consideration for sure due to his abilities, the Cardinals should put a tax on it for the extra two years of control he has. Romero is a rising lefty out of the bullpen. It’ll cost more than a utility infielder to get him like it did back in 2022 when the Philadelphia Phillies traded him away for Edmundo Sosa.

3) Matt Moore

A name all Mets fans probably know by now is Matt Moore. An alleged target of theirs in the offseason, Moore ended up with one of the teams he pitched for in the past: the Los Angeles Angels. He must’ve known in the back of his head there was a possibility of the season going in the toilet. Blink and you will have missed the Angels playing competitive baseball in 2024.

Moore ended up with a one-year deal with the Angels for $9 million. He had quite the adventure last year. Twice claimed off waivers after the trade deadline, first by the Cleveland Guardians and then by the Miami Marlins, he still managed to turn in another fine year out of the bullpen. His transition from starting pitcher to lefty reliever has been a terrific development. It has extended his career and made him a desirable free agent. This summer, it should have him as a target of any team looking for left-handed relief help.

Moore’s season numbers aren’t spectacular. His ERA sits at 4.30 after 14.2 innings of work. His 1.09 WHIP is favorable with a 5.14 FIP telling a different tale. The poor fit can be explained by his 3 home runs already allowed this season and some very average strikeout numbers failing to make it better.

The Angels would probably like to get out from under his contract already. Wait long enough and they might give him away for free like they did last year when everyone went on waivers.

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