Easy to overlook during this wet weekend of no Mets baseball is the potential significance of Brooks Raley’s surprise trip to the 15-day injured list.
Raley is an important member of the team’s bullpen, and “left elbow inflammation” is a concerning phrase.
Fortunately for the Mets, early indications on Raley do not point toward a serious injury. A source says that the team is “comfortable” with where Raley is at health-wise, and that his elbow ligament is not a concern at present.
The Mets will have a better idea of when Raley can return in about 10 days.
Raley’s 4.76 ERA is misleading, as 12 of his league-leading 14 appearances have been scoreless.
An offseason trade acquisition by GM Billy Eppler, Raley was top-of-mind among Mets officials in the moments after Edwin Diaz’s season-ending knee injury at the World Baseball Classic; he’s that important to the team’s late-inning plans.