Mets reliever Drew Smith will bear season-ending elbow surgical procedure on Friday, he tells Tim Healey of Newsday. The righty continues to be not sure whether or not he’ll want an entire Tommy John surgical procedure or the marginally much less vital inner brace process. It’s not unusual for the surgeon to make that call in the course of the operation based mostly on the extent of the ligament injury.
Smith landed on the injured listing with an elbow sprain a number of weeks in the past. He admitted in late June that an preliminary analysis decided that surgical procedure was possible mandatory. Smith went for a second opinion thereafter however evidently won’t be able to keep away from going below the knife. Even in the perfect case state of affairs the place he “solely” wants the inner brace process, he’s more likely to miss round a calendar 12 months. A full UCL reconstruction may value him the complete 2025 season.
Smith has spent his complete main league profession with the Mets. Initially drafted by the Rays in 2015, he was dealt to New York as a prospect for first baseman Lucas Duda. Smith made his MLB debut the next 12 months. He pitched in 27 video games as a rookie earlier than present process Tommy John surgical procedure that worn out his 2019 marketing campaign and restricted him in the course of the shortened 12 months.
Over the previous three and a half seasons, Smith has been a strong contributor within the center to later innings. He turned in a 2.40 ERA by 41 1/3 innings in 2021. His ERA ticked up over the subsequent couple seasons, however he missed extra bats and logged a number of extra innings alongside the best way. The 30-year-old righty had been out to a powerful begin this season, posting a 3.06 ERA with a 29.1% strikeout charge (narrowly the best of his profession) throughout 17 2/3 frames.
Smith is an impending free agent, so this might symbolize a troublesome finish to his stint in Queens. It’s a very unlucky time for what’ll be the second vital elbow process of his profession. Smith’s early-season efficiency appeared as if it’d place him for a powerful two-year deal. The surgical procedure may restrict him to a barely backloaded two-year provide at a a lot decrease base wage, particularly if he’ll must miss all of subsequent season.
