Mets activate Brooks Raley from IL, DFA Richard Lovelady

Raley, 37, underwent Tommy John surgery last May, a procedure that also included an internal brace. He re-signed with the Mets in April on a one-year deal that includes a club option for 2026, allowing him time to ramp back up gradually.

Before injuring his elbow, Raley served as the Mets’ go-to left-hander out of the bullpen. In 74 appearances with the team between 2023 and 2024, he posted a 2.48 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 10.2 K/9 rate, consistently limiting hard contact with his low-80s sweeper and mid-80s cutter.

Raley began his rehab assignment in mid-June, making eight appearances across three levels. He tossed nine scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts, one walk, and a 52.6% groundball rate. His sinker averaged 89.7 mph during that span, matching the velocity he showed during his strong 2023 campaign.

New York carried two left-handers in its Opening Day bullpen — A.J. Minter and Danny Young — but lost both to season-ending injuries shortly after Raley re-signed. Since then, the club has cycled through several stopgap lefties in an effort to fill the void: Génesis Cabrera, José Castillo, Colin Poche, and Lovelady.

Lovelady, 30, has now been designated for assignment by the Mets twice this season. He was previously removed from the 40-man roster the day after making his team debut, but re-signed with the club June 29 after clearing waivers and electing free agency. Between his two stints in Queens, he allowed six runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings.

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Regardless of how Raley performs in the coming weeks, the Mets will likely continue to monitor the trade market for additional relief help. They entered the All-Star break with a 3.83 bullpen ERA, which ranks 14th in MLB.

In addition to the Raley and Lovelady roster moves, the Mets also announced that Paul Blackburn (shoulder) had been placed on a rehab assignment with their Florida Complex League affiliate, and José Buttó (illness) had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Syracuse. Both right-handers could contribute to the bullpen as multi-inning relievers upon their return.