Mets Star Reliever Suffers Setback; No Timetable For Return To Team

New York fans will have to wait a little longer to see the star hurler back on the mound

Aug 16, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brooks Raley (25) delivers a pitch / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets got some rough news on Thursday.

Mets stud pitcher Brooks Raley has been one of the best relievers in baseball so far this season. He hasn't allowed a run in eight appearances but has missed some time as he's dealt with elbow inflammation.

It seemed as though he was making progress and could return to the mound soon, but things have changed and he suffered a setback in his recovery and now there is no timetable for his return, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza when asked if he could return right when he is eligible.

"Probably not," Mendoza said. "This is probably going to be longer than we anticipated. It's one of those where inflammation went down and he's still playing catch, but it's not going to be as quick as we thought it was going to be. We still are going through some things there with the medicals and things like that."

Raley joined the Mets ahead of the 2023 season and has been great for the team ever since. The lefty appeared in 66 games last season with New York and had a 2.80 ERA and 61-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 54 2/3 innings pitched.

The 35-year-old has been even better so far this season in a small sample size but now we will have to wait a little longer for his return. Any time an injury pops up involving an elbow it is nerve-wracking and the fact that he has gotten some bad news already isn't encouraging.

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