The New York Mets keep adding to their pitching staff. Having already signed starters Justin Verlander and José Quintana to reinforce the rotation in free agency, the Mets obtained left-handed reliever Brooks Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade on Wednesday afternoon. The Mets are sending minor-league lefty Keyshawn Askew to Tampa Bay. Both teams announced the deal.
Raley, 34 years old, signed a two-year pact worth $10 million with Tampa Bay last winter. The deal includes a club option for the 2024 season worth $6.5 million (or a $1.25 million buyout). He went on to make 60 appearances with the Rays, amassing a 2.68 ERA (136 ERA+) and a 4.07 strikeout-to-ratio. That last mark was fueled by striking out 10 batters per nine innings.
Prior to joining the Rays, Raley had made appearances in the majors with the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati Reds. For his career, he’s sporting a 4.64 ERA (88 ERA+) and a 3.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 153 games (five of which were starts).
Askew, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday in a matter of weeks, was the Mets’ 10th-round pick in the 2021 draft. He appeared in 18 games across two levels last season, accumulating a 2.44 ERA and a 3.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Askew was mentioned in July as part of Eric Longenhagen’s evaluation of the Mets farm system on FanGraphs. “Askew, a great name for a low-slot guy, needs to be promoted,” he wrote. “He’s dominating Low-A hitters worse than those he faced at Clemson with a low-90s two-seamer/slider combo.”
