Left-hander Brooks Raley is drawing interest from clubs as he continues rehabbing from Tommy John surgery over the summer, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Cubs and Yankees are among the clubs to have reached out and some teams have discussed multi-year arrangements with Raley, though it’s not clear if the Cubs and Yankees are among the teams to have expressed multi-year interest.
Raley, 36, made his big league debut with the Cubs back in 2012 but totaled just 38 1/3 innings of work before departing stateside ball for South Korea back in 2015. He spent several years pitching in the KBO before resurfacing in the majors during the 2020 season as a middle relief option. He enjoyed a late-career breakout in Tampa back in 2022, however, and since then has been nothing short of excellent when healthy enough to take the mound with a 2.58 ERA (153 ERA+), a 3.13 FIP, and a 27.3% strikeout rate when healthy enough to take the mound over the past three years with the Rays and Mets.
Dominant as he’s been in recent years, a player on the wrong side of 35 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery comes with plenty of question marks. That might make the idea of a multi-year deal seem somewhat surprising, but in some ways it could actually help the acquiring club more reliably secure a return on their investment. After all, Raley figures to only be available for the second half in 2025 and some players need time to shake off the rust following a long layoff like the one Raley is currently experiencing. Given that, a deal that pays Raley a relatively low salary for 2025 but comes with a second guaranteed year at a higher rate could make sense for both sides by guaranteeing Raley a longer-term opportunity coming off surgery while affording the club some protection against Raley struggling in his initial return from surgery before righting the ship and returning to form later on.
Looking at the teams being connected to Raley, it’s fairly easy to see why he’d be of interest to them. The Cubs have been in the market for relief help all winter, and while the club already signed Caleb Thielbar as a left-handed option for their bullpen last month that likely wouldn’t preclude them from adding a player like Raley who is both more of a bonafide late-inning arm than Thielbar and wouldn’t factor into the club’s Opening Day roster due to his rehab timeline. Chicago has shown a willingness to sign rehabbing players in the past, as well. They were involved in Liam Hendriks’ market last winter and previously signed players like Kendall Graveman and Drew Smyly while they were rehabbing.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have already added Devin Williams to replace Clay Holmes in the ninth inning, giving them a strong one-two punch at the back of the bullpen with Luke Weaver set for an eighth-inning role. One place where the club’s bullpen could stand to be upgraded, however, is from the left side. Southpaw Tim Hill pitched well for the Yanks in 2024 but is currently a free agent. While Raley wouldn’t be available for at least the first half of the season, the club currently has no left-handed relievers on their 40-man roster and could be forced to use a reverse-splits righty like Mark Leiter Jr. against tough left-handed relievers in 2025 without an external addition.
mlbnyyfan
Why hasn’t Tim Hill been brought back yet? Bring Houdini back to the Yankees to finish his career as well. Zero sense of urgency on the Yankees. Spring training is about a month away. LET’S GO!!!!
YankeesBleacherCreature
To spite you and you alone.
178iq
Hahahah Yankees are having a hard time competing with other teams offers. Otherwise are a landing spot. Ask Walker Hernandez, burnes, snell, Kim , Hoffman…. Yankees had “interest” in all these guys. Offers in to most of them. They didn’t land anyone. I heard from a VERY reliable source that they have an offer in to Alonso and his agent refuses to respond shopping it for more elsewhere. NYY just don’t attract the talent like they used to.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Sure. Sign Alonso so Goldschmidt or Stanton can play 3B. Ya gotta step up your trolling-game, bro. The voices in your head don’t count as sources.
KnicksFanCavsFan
@mlb @178
I’m not sure who’s more annoying, Yankee haters or fellow Yankee fans. Yanks have $25 mil invested in their bullpen already, are pressed up against the 4th tier of the lux tax and have to be careful because a $5 mik deal is actually $10 mil and right now another top bullpen arm is a bit of a luxury. As for Alonzo, use common sense. They must have Goldy $12 mil and they have Stanton locked in at the DH position. Why in the world would they be interested in Alonzo right now? To suggest the Yanks “struggle to compete” for FA is laughable. 90% of them go where the most money is and if the Yanks were inclined, they’d likely step up and put a string offer in and likely overpay if needed. Yanks went after Fried and had 7 SP on the payroll. Stop with the madness. As for the pen, I’d line to have DRob back but there’s still time and week see. But relax. They’ve been one of the most active teams this winter and I’m not sure how you can not be appreciative as a fan. As for you @178. keep gluck gluck gluckin on energy Yankee post with these silly narratives you’re trying to push.
jerseyjohn
The Yankees are going to dump Stroman soon enough. I see their budget being about 15-20 million max. That includes the 12 million or so they shed while paying down Stroman’s deal and bit. 2 more bullpen arms, and an infielder. Everything else is coming from within.
OnlineFeatures
178iq, you have 0 idea what you are talking about lmfao.
Nice job embarrassing yourself with that braindead comment
Lloyd Emerson
I wonder if Jed Hoyer buys his clothing at the thrift store too.
GB85
Only his underwear.
Yankee Clipper
If it’s good enough for Jack Reacher…….
16
Do you truly believe that Jed enjoys pinching Ricketts Pennie’s? Seriously? I get the criticism for Jed, but to think Tom has authorized a $300M payroll and Jed is overriding him to punch Pennie’s is laughable. He does what he can within the budget given. We all wish Tom would seriously bud on the Harper’s and Soto’s.
Lloyd Emerson
That’s fair. He’s just trying to maximize profits for the tightwad Ricketts clan.
Oldguy58
Discount rack Jed
Theo saw the direction things were going and left a year before his contract was up with his dignity. Jed has no dignity.
letsgooakland123
“forced to use a reverse-splits righty like Mark Leiter Jr. against tough left-handed relievers in 2025 without an external addition”
I don’t think it would take any kind of special talent to get outs against lefty relievers when they’re at the plate
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Legend has it there is still no such thing as a DH in the NL…
LFGMets (Metsin7) #BannedForBeingABaseballExpertAGAIN)
Yankees, please take him. Hes good at blowing close games and pitching in garbage time
metsin4
He literally didn’t give up a run last year and has a 2.48 era with the Mets. Is their anyone who you don’t complain about?
YankeesBleacherCreature
The Yankees need a lefty reliever to start the season, as they have none, so this one holds no water.
robert-5
Jed wants to go into the season w 27 soft-tossing mediocre arms on the 40-man.
GarryHarris
That’s so unlike the Yankees being interested in a 37 year old still in rehab…
Bruce wulff
Brooks raley? Give me a break however you can be sure the cubs are interested in a 36 year old rehabbing pitcher. So typical cubs!