The Tampa Bay Rays brought their roster back to full capacity Tuesday, as they made official the signing of reliever Brooks Raley to a two-year deal with a club option for 2024.
Raley spent 2021 with the Houston Astros, going 2-3 with a 4.78 ERA in 79 appearances, including a 1.93 ERA in his final 21 regular season appearances starting on July 28. He also made eight appearances in the postseason, including four in the World Series.
The 33-year-old dominated left-handed hitters last year, as they hit just .195 and did not have a home run, and according to StatCast, led all big league pitchers who had allowed at least 100 batted balls in lowest average exit velocity (81.5 MPH) and lowest hard hit rate (21.5 percent).
Raley made his Major League debut in 2012 for the Chicago Cubs, with whom he played parts of two seasons with, and spent five years pitching for the Lotte Giants in the KBO befpre returning to the big leagues in 2020.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
