Before the 2026 MLB Draft got rolling, the Pittsburgh Pirates had a decision to make with the 34th overall pick, a competitive balance selection that had plenty of teams watching. They eventually moved it to the Chicago White Sox, but not before the New York Mets tried to get involved, with Pat Ragazzo of Athlon Sports reporting that the Mets were putting together some kind of offer that centered on Brooks Raley.
Pittsburgh went a different direction and landed two younger players with control instead of Raley. That fits the Pirates’ situation better. Raley is on an expiring contract, and a short-term rental for a team with poor playoff odds doesn’t make a ton of sense if the goal is to think past 2026.
That’s why the Pirates passing on him feels easy to understand. A team that isn’t really positioned to charge into October probably shouldn’t be paying a premium draft pick for a reliever who might only be around for three months.
The more interesting fit is Chicago.
The Mets and Cubs already hooked up on a David Peterson trade in late June, and the pitching needs line up again here. Chicago looks like a team that can at least put itself in the mix for one of the three NL Wild Card spots, or even the NL Central if things break right and/or the Milwaukee Brewers stumble. A left-handed reliever with a track record like Raley’s would make sense in that chase.
The Cubs have been leaning on Caleb Thielbar more than anyone other than Hoby Milner, who is currently on the IL after an appendectomy. Thielbar went into Saturday’s game with a 4.44 ERA and a 2.4 HR/9 rate, which is a rough combination for a bullpen arm. He’s on a $4 million contract, and at 39, he’s one of the few active players older than Raley, who is 38.
Raley brings a different look. He’s sitting on a 2.10 ERA this season after a scoreless outing on Saturday, and while he’s not the same kind of strikeout arm, his control and the fact that he has allowed just two home runs all year would be a welcome change for Chicago.
The Pirates may have been the first team to hear the Mets’ pitch, but the draft board kept moving. The 34th pick ended up becoming Landon Thome, the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome. And if the Mets really were willing to get creative with that selection, there’s no telling how different their draft haul might have looked.
Raley still feels like a player who ends up on a contender before long. The Pirates remain a possible landing spot, and his Mets stint has been one of the more underrated ones in recent memory.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Put One Mets Trade Deadline Dream In Jeopardy
As the trade deadline approaches, the Mets are still sorting through the same kind of big-name possibilities that always seem to surface this time of year, and Luis Robert Jr. has been part of that conversation because of his talent and the way he could fit into a reshaped roster. But any path to landing him has always come with complications, from his contract situation to the kind of financial commitment a move like that would require, which is why every new development around other clubs matters so much.
Philadelphia may have just changed the equation. By quietly adding Derek Hill, the Phillies appear to have addressed part of their center-field need, and that could make Robert a far less obvious fit for a division rival the Mets were already watching closely. For New York, it is another reminder that deadline ideas can shift fast, and that the front office may have to weigh not just who is available, but which targets still make sense once the market starts moving. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Draft Target Brings The Kind Of Risk Fans Fear Most
Carson Wiggins has the kind of arm that keeps scouts interested and medical staffs busy. The right-handed pitching prospect out of Roland High School and Arkansas was on the radar for his stuff long before the 2026 MLB Draft Combine, and even after an elbow injury in 2025 and UCL internal brace surgery, he still made it to the combine as one of the more intriguing names in the class. For a team like the Mets, who are always weighing upside against durability, he fits the familiar draft debate: talent you can dream on, with a track record that makes the decision anything but simple.
The financial side adds another layer, since Wiggins is already protected by a draft slot floor tied to the 27th pick, and there is still a path back to Arkansas if he and the Mets cannot come to terms. That leaves his situation in a familiar but uncomfortable place for clubs that like to gamble on pitching. The arm talent is obvious enough to keep him in the conversation, but the question now is how much risk a team is willing to absorb to get it. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Clifford Just Put More Weight On A Huge Mets Question
Ryan Clifford got a little extra spotlight at the All-Star Futures Game, where the Mets prospect handled first base for three innings and worked a six-pitch walk in his lone plate appearance. It was a small moment on a showcase stage, but one that still mattered for a player whose path to Queens has been watched closely since the Mets brought him over in the Justin Verlander deal.
The bigger issue is what Cliffords profile still looks like as he keeps climbing. Hes sitting at .196/.283/.395 with 16 home runs and 129 strikeouts, a line that shows the power the Mets covet but also the contact issues that make his next step harder to project. Even in Philadelphia, where fans booed him as he stepped in, Clifford offered a reminder that his bat will keep drawing attention for reasons both encouraging and uneasy. [Read more 🡒]