Mets' Brooks Raley won't have elbow surgery for time being
Brooks Raley of the Mets throws against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Credit: Errol Anderson
PHILADELPHIA — Mets reliever Brooks Raley will avoid season-ending elbow surgery — for now, at least.
His appointment this week with Dr. Keith Meister, a highly regarded orthopedic surgeon, yielded a new plan, according to manager Carlos Mendoza: two more weeks of no throwing, then seeing what happens.
The ulnar collateral ligament in Raley’s left elbow indeed is damaged, but Mendoza said it “showed signs of healing” in a new MRI. Hence, optimism.
What are the chances Raley will be able to return this season and totally skip Tommy John surgery or a similar operation?
“It’s hard for me to sit here and speculate,” Mendoza said Wednesday. “We gotta see what we’re dealing with two weeks from now. Hopefully we avoid that scenario.”
Raley has been out since April 21 with what the Mets initially called left elbow inflammation. When he didn’t recover the way they expected, they took a second look, which showed an issue with the infamous pitching ligament. That led Raley to Meister because “he’s the best, so I wanted to see him and hear what he had to say,” Raley said during the weekend.
Raley didn’t get a definitive answer, but he didn’t get the worst one, either.
“Continue to treat it and see where we’re at after two weeks, whether he’s going to take the next step throwing-wise or see what we’re dealing with,” Mendoza said.
As the rotation turns
To make room for lefthander Joey Lucchesi, who made a spot start Wednesday against the Phillies, the Mets made something of a surprise move: sending down righthander Jose Butto, one of their better starters, to Triple-A Syracuse.
Butto posted a 3.08 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in seven starts as an injury replacement for Tylor Megill. The righty will slot into that spot in the rotation, Mendoza said, and return from the IL on Sunday against the Marlins or Monday against the Guardians. He has been sidelined with a right shoulder strain for a month and a half.
Mendoza said he made sure to tell Butto: “You’re going to back.”
“Not an easy (conversation),” Mendoza said. “Especially with Butto and the way he was throwing the ball — even though every outing there was one inning where he lost the strike zone, but he kept competing and kept making pitches in every outing and gave us a chance every time he took the baseball. But we needed a starter today.”
Setback for Smith
Drew Smith felt “a pinch” in the back of his right shoulder while playing catch Tuesday, Mendoza said, so he isn’t ready to return from the IL. Previously, he had a problem with the front of his shoulder.
“We don’t anticipate this being a long setback, but we’ll see where we’re at,” Mendoza said.
To add a fresh arm to the bullpen, the Mets called up Grant Hartwig from Syracuse and designated Yohan Ramirez for assignment.
Extra bases
Fast-rising pitching prospect Brandon Sproat debuted with Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday: five innings, three hits, no runs. He struck out six and walked two. Sproat, a righthander whose fastball has reached triple digits, was the Mets’ second-round draft pick last year . . . Kodai Senga (right shoulder strain) threw another bullpen session and it “went well,” Mendoza said. No word on his next step . . . Adrian Houser will go back to being available out of the bullpen Thursday.
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.
