Mets exercise club option on veteran reliever

The New York Mets have exercised their $4.75M club option on left-hander Brooks Raley for the 2026 season, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.  New York also declined its $2M club option on right-hander Drew Smith for 2026, as per an MLBPA media release that listed Smith as a new entry to the free agent market.

Raley and Smith were each working on one-year contracts with the Mets in the wake of Tommy John surgeries.  Raley underwent his procedure in May 2024 and didn’t officially sign until last April, inking a deal that paid him $1.5M in salary for 2025 plus the $4.75M club option for 2026 (with a $300K buyout).  Smith’s deal from last February paid him $1M for the 2025 season, and there was no buyout on his $2M club option.

Raley also earned himself a $250K roster bonus for making it back to New York’s active roster before the 2025 campaign was out, as the southpaw was able to return just after the All-Star break.  In even better news for all parties, Raley looked sharp in posting a 2.45 ERA, 25.3% strikeout rate, and a 6.1% walk rate over 25 2/3 innings out of the Amazins’ bullpen.

While a .212 BABIP contributed to Raley’s success and his K% was below the 29% mark he’d posted in five seasons with the Mets, it was still a very good showing for a 37-year-old pitcher coming off such a major arm surgery.  As such, it was expected that New York would exercise Raley’s option to officially bring the reliever back into the fold.  The Mets will have to address a lot of rotation and bullpen needs this winter, but Raley’s return at least checks off one box.

Smith underwent a hybrid Tommy John surgery/brace procedure in July 2024 that ended up costing him the entirety of the 2025 campaign.  The righty’s rehab process went as far as some live batting-practice sessions, but Smith didn’t log any game action even in the minors.  Given the timing of Smith’s surgery and the fact that it is the second TJ procedure of his career, it isn’t surprising that Smith wasn’t able to make it back onto the field before the season’s end.

It could be that another health issue has emerged, delaying Smith’s return even further, or the declined option could represent the Mets wanting a bit of extra flexibility.  Even if $2M is a drop in their payroll bucket, the Mets might prefer keeping a 40-man roster spot open for now and exploring another contract with Smith later in the winter.  Other teams could swoop in to negotiate with Smith in the interim, of course, but it could be that Smith and the Mets have some handshake deal to revisit talks once the Rule 5 Draft protection deadline is passed.

Smith has spent all six of his Major League seasons in a Mets uniform, posting a 3.48 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate, and 9.3% walk rate over 196 1/3 career innings.  His control was an issue in his last two seasons, yet, overall, the 32-year-old Smith has been a solid bullpen arm capable of eating innings and providing reliable results.