The 31-year-old beforehand underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in 2019 and had an inner brace process final July. The Mets are tentatively concentrating on a September return.
“He’s been a long-tenured Met who has given a lot to the organization, is a good teammate, a good pitcher, and so I think having continuity in his care, that he can be under our supervision for his rehab, in a place that he’s comfortable, where he trusts the medical staff, is important for both sides,” stated president of baseball operations David Stearns. “And then hopefully this goes well and he’s pitching big innings for us in 2026.”
Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays as a minor leaguer in 2017 in alternate for Lucas Duda, Smith posted a 3.48 ERA and a 115 ERA+ over six seasons with the Mets. Smith largely labored within the later innings counting on a slider and a excessive fastball to get outs, however in 2022 and 2023 the Mets slowly started to offer him alternatives in high-leverage conditions.
After recording three saves throughout an up-and-down 2023 season, Smith hoped for extra of these alternatives final season and initially, they got here. He went 2-for-2 in save conditions with six holds in 2024 earlier than being shut down in July. He completed the season, his last one underneath group management, 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and a 3.56 FIP.
Smith was devastated to seek out out he wanted one other elbow surgical procedure, particularly proper earlier than he hit free company for the primary time. He opted to stay with the group in New York whereas rehab and the group was accommodating, bringing him on a number of highway journeys all through the common season and postseason.
The 2 events talked a few return as early as final summer season when Smith instructed the Mets he want to re-sign as a free agent.
“He was sad that he went down the way he went down, but he means a lot to the guys in the locker room,” supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated Wednesday. “This is a guy that takes the baseball, gives you multiple innings, gives you high leverage innings — it doesn’t matter. He’s a gamer.”
BLONDES DON’T HAVE MORE FUN
Mark Vientos ditched his blonde hair due to the maintenance. The third baseman debuted a brand new ‘do over the winter, first during a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden and later at the Mets’ Amazin Day fan fest.
“Now I understand how women have to take care of themselves,” Vientos stated. “It’s tough. I couldn’t deal with it anymore. I was like, ‘I’m going to shave it. I like waking up and doing nothing with my head.’”
Vientos arrived in Port St. Lucie nicely forward of his report date, keen and able to go after a breakout 12 months. Regardless of beginning the season within the minor leagues final 12 months, he nonetheless managed to hit 27 dwelling runs in 111 large league video games, probably the most of his profession. In his age-24 season, the homegrown nook infielder posted a 135 OPS and posted an .837 OPS, hit .327 with a .998 OPS within the playoffs.
“It’s a small sample size, but you’re facing a huge pitching on the biggest stage there is in the game,” Mendoza stated. “For me, it was just how he handled adversity, and his ability to make adjustments. Pitchers are going to make adjustments when the league adjusts to him, he’s going to have to make some adjustments. And I think he’s more than capable of making those.”
QUICK HITTERS
– Kodai Senga threw his first bullpen of spring coaching Wednesday, utilizing all of his pitches however taking his foot off the fuel with the speed. Mendoza stated all studies have been optimistic.
– Proper-handed starter Clay Holmes threw dwell batting observe, drawing excessive reward from the coaches for his conditioning. Holmes obtained up and down thrice with relative ease. Jesse Winker practically took him deep, however barely missed, and Brett Baty had a tough hit towards him as nicely, however Holmes largely minimized any laborious contact. Holmes is engaged on including pitches, presently taking part in round with a changeup, a four-seam fastball and a cutter that Mendoza stated performs like a shorter slider.
– Left-hander A.J. Minter threw off the mound for the primary time since August hip surgical procedure Wednesday. The brand new reliever received’t be throwing dwell batting observe till late within the month as he progresses slowly into aggressive motion once more.
– Proper-hander Christian Scott is not going to pitch this season. A prime rookie final season, the starter underwent a hybrid Tommy John/inner brace process final September. Scott had hoped to return this summer season, however the group’s participant improvement decision-makers determined to carry him out of motion till 2026.
– Former Mets DH Daniel Vogelbach was employed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an assistant to the hitting division. The 31-year-old slugger spent half of the 2022 season with the Pirates earlier than being traded to the Mets.
Initially Revealed: February 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM EST
