Mets' Brooks Raley preparing to be ready for start of season
Mets pitcher Brooks Raley throws during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Washington Nationals Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Lefthanded reliever Brooks Raley threw a bullpen session Sunday and is aiming to get into at least one exhibition game in the next week, leaving him encouraged that he’ll be good to go for Opening Day.
Raley has been slowed by a strained left hamstring that forced him off the United States’ WBC roster before the tournament began.
“We got time,” he said. “This is the one part of year you have time. The rest of the year, not so much.”
With the season beginning March 30, Raley is racing the clock but believes he’ll beat it. With Grapefruit League games continuing through Sunday and the Mets scheduling an intrasquad scrimmage for Monday, he has options.
Raley noted that dealing with spring training last year, when the lockout severely shortened camp, taught him how to get ready quickly.
“We were able to overcome that,” he said. “I want to face some hitters and hopefully get one more time out there with a pitch clock. I think I’ll have one more outing before spring is over.”
Raley, acquired in an offseason trade with the Rays, saw his importance to the Mets’ late-inning situation grew when they lost Edwin Diaz. Also, he likely will be the only lefthander in the bullpen.
Verlander's bad day
Justin Verlander walked six batters — including four in the fifth inning — across 4 2/3 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Nationals on Monday. His last preseason start is scheduled for this weekend.
“I got some work to do. It was a tough one,” he said. “I don’t think you ever really want to go through spring and breeze through everything, so it was nice to have a lot of traffic. Obviously, I would’ve liked to navigate it a hair better. But it wasn’t my best.”
Vasil impresses
Righthander Mike Vasil, among the Mets’ better pitching prospects, will pitch against Atlanta on Thursday. The Mets called him over to major-league camp Monday so he could throw a bullpen session in front of pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and other staff. Buck Showalter said he was impressed.
Vasil will slot in in place of Carlos Carrasco, who will avoid the in-division opponent and a cross-state drive by pitching in a minor-league game that day.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
