The Philadelphia Phillies made several moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline in an effort to upgrade the team for the stretch run of the season.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski went outside the box to address the lineup needs, acquiring second baseman Luis Arraez . A left-handed-hitting infielder was not on their to-do list, as they sought a right-handed-hitting outfielder.
Another area of need was the bullpen, where he addressed the need with two additions. Along with Arraez, the Phillies acquired right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian and left-handed reliever Brooks Raley from the New York Mets .
Both should help bridge the gap to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran, with Raley likely going to be asked to fill a bigger role. He could ascend the pecking order in quick order given the pack of success from southpaws in the bullpen this year, and he has a formula for success despite not having overpowering stuff.
Aug 2, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brooks Raley (25) delivers a pitch during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"I think hitters will always tell you," Raley said, via Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required). "Soft contact, limiting damage, throwing strikes - I do a lot of those things well. And sometimes you just got to attack the weaknesses of the player. I'm pretty good at that."
The veteran lefty didn't have the debut he was hoping for, giving up a solo home run to Brady House and another RBI hit to CJ Abrams in what ended up being a 10-4 loss in 11 innings for Philadelphia against the Washington Nationals.
But prior to that, Raley was rolling right along and dominating for the Mets. He had a 1.96 ERA across 41.1 innings of work with an ERA+ of 180 and FIP of 3.10. There haven't been any left-handed relievers who are as consistent as him over the last few years.
As Gelb noted, the 2.42 ERA that he owns since 2022 is the best among southpaw relief pitchers. And he isn't doing it with dominant stuff, such as what Houston Astros closer Josh Hader possesses.
Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (25) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Raley is getting opposing batters off balance and inducing soft contact with a fastball that averages 90 mph. That isn't a go-to pitch for him, as it is No. 3 in his arsenal behind a cutter and sweeping slider that are both graded out as above-average offerings.
At 38 years old, he has found a way to reinvent himself and carve out a niche. Amongst players looking to get as much spin rate and velocity as possible, Raley is finding success barely cracking 90 mph on the radar gun.
And the Phillies hope he continues finding that success through the rest of the season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Brooks Raley Reveals How He Will Succeed With Phillies .
