Raley (elbow) seeking second opinion, could need surgery

NEW YORK -- Mets reliever Brooks Raley is seeking a second opinion on his left elbow, the latest step in a process that could result in season-ending surgery.

Raley indicated Saturday that he has bone spurs and at least some ligament damage in his left elbow, though he noted that “I don’t know all the terminology” and “it’s a little more complex” than a simple diagnosis. For that reason, he will fly to see orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday in Texas.

“I don’t really know all the details,” Raley said. “I’ve gotten a couple different opinions, and we’re just trying to make a wise decision.”

If Raley undergoes surgery, he expects it would be a Tommy John or internal brace operation, which would sideline him for the rest of the season (and possibly end his Mets tenure). But Raley still has at least some hope that he can “throw through” the injury if the damage to his elbow is not overly severe.

“All options are being weighed,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll have some more clarity more than anything on Wednesday, and I can go from there.”

The Mets’ top lefty reliever since the team acquired him in Dec. 2022, Raley did not allow a run over his first seven innings this season. But he began having difficulty recovering from outings in mid-April and was experiencing abnormal swelling around his elbow. The Mets sent him for an MRI, which team doctors initially read as negative, and gave him a cortisone injection, which helped enough for Raley to restart a throwing program. But the swelling never completely subsided, prompting Raley to seek a second opinion from Dr. Meister.

He will now travel to Texas for an in-person visit to determine the best course of action. If Raley cannot continue to throw without significant risk of his discomfort recurring, he will have little choice but to consent to surgery.

“Obviously, you want to throw without pain and be the best version of yourself,” Raley said. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Of note, the 35-year-old Raley can become a free agent after this season.

If the Mets must continue to operate without Raley, fellow left-hander Jake Diekman will take on an even greater role in the bullpen. The Mets have relied on three other lefties, Josh Walker, Danny Young and Tyler Jay, for cameos. None of them have anything close to the track records of Raley or Diekman.

“Hopefully, we get good news,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ll see what happens. In the meantime, we’ll continue to piece it together at the back of the bullpen. We’ve got a lot of options. The good thing is we’ve got a few righties that can get lefties out.”