July 13: The Mets announced today that Smith underwent right elbow UCL reconstruction with internal brace augmentation yesterday. That leaves him set to miss not only the remainder of the 2024 season, but could also cost him the entire 2025 campaign as well.
July 8: Mets reliever Drew Smith will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Friday, he tells Tim Healey of Newsday. The righty is still unsure whether he’ll need a complete Tommy John surgery or the slightly less significant internal brace procedure. It’s not uncommon for the surgeon to make that decision during the operation based on the extent of the ligament damage.
Smith landed on the injured list with an elbow sprain a few weeks ago. He admitted in late June that an initial evaluation determined that surgery was likely necessary. Smith went for a second opinion thereafter but evidently will not be able to avoid going under the knife. Even in the best case scenario where he “only” needs the internal brace procedure, he’s likely to miss around a calendar year. A full UCL reconstruction could cost him the entire 2025 season.
Smith has spent his whole major league career 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 following year. He pitched in 27 games as a rookie before undergoing Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2019 campaign and limited him during the shortened year.
Over the past three and a half seasons, Smith has been a solid contributor in the middle to later innings. He turned in a 2.40 ERA through 41 1/3 innings in 2021. His ERA ticked up over the next couple seasons, but he missed more bats and logged a few more innings along the way. The 30-year-old righty had been out to a strong start this season, posting a 3.06 ERA with a 29.1% strikeout rate (narrowly the highest of his career) across 17 2/3 frames.
Smith is an impending free agent, so this could represent a tough end to his stint in Queens. It’s a particularly unfortunate time for what’ll be the second significant elbow procedure of his career. Smith’s early-season performance looked as if it’d position him for a strong two-year deal. The surgery could limit him to a slightly backloaded two-year offer at a much lower base salary, especially if he’ll need to miss all of next season.
When is it gonna become the fandual Tommy John surgery brought to you by draftkings and sponsored by betMGM?
Another question is when will betting sites start to post odds on if player A will need surgery by a specific date? In the case of arm surgeries, they can increase their odds by correctly predicting the procedure. I had to stop watching the services for Willie Mays because there was on screen promotions, which I thought was classless by MLB.
It isn’t already? lol.
They should say brought to you by the manufacturer of radar guns.
Worst decision ever to display tgat on the scoreboard. Pay attention to how many pitchers look up at it.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. It always bugged me how he would walk off the mound like Cy Young after coming into a tie game with 2 outs in the 7thn inning and he’d walk 3 guys and then get an out on a bullet of a linedrive to an outfielder. One of the worst to ever do it in a Mets uniform
Such a trash take as usual. Smith has been a solid reliever for the Mets thus far in his career.
One of the worst ever in a Mets uniform is quite a statement.
My guess is he’ll have multiple options as described in the article, which makes the “worst ever” comment look like the worst ever…
Dude we get it he wouldn’t give you an autograph, let it go.
Or that he looks like the cop who gave him a ticket for riding his tricycle on the sidewalk…
LFGM
Adios, troll
What a loserish comment, I assume the poster is the same
really is Sour … should see how bad the “eye”” is on scouting and trades. Makes Eppler look like a genius gm.
Trevor, just go to Japan or Korea. Oh wait, if either had wanted you, you’d already have signed. The truth is no one wants you because you’re a cancer that no one wants.
Dewey, let me shorten it for you:
“Trevor, just go.”
Assuming they’re not the same, both the pitcher and the poster.
Anthony, check your article. Drew Smith was drafted by the Tigers and traded to the Rays, who then flipped him to the Mets.
The uncertainty of whether he’ll need a full Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure could impact his future contract negotiations and potentially cost him the entire 2025 season.
It’s ok I’m sure Stearns is about to acquire a reliever whose never pitched in the big leagues (and who was probably shelled in the minors) so Mendoza can bring him into a high leverage situation late in a game to make sure they lose.
I hear ya carlos15, but you can’t pin this on Mendoza. What options does he have? They had to burn out Reed, Diaz has been MIA, raley is gone, smith now, Otto has been shaky, among others. He has to ride with what they give him!
When Drew is on the active roster the Mets were doing great this season when he has been on the IL the mets not so good. Since he hit the IL June 23, the mets bullpen era is the worst at 8.00 ERA. Maybe he is a lucky charm, maybe he makes the bullpen better. Either way i like winning.
So now i get why LFG doesnt like Drew, He hates the mets and doesnt want them to win (maybe a marlins fan?) Also i guess because they prove em wrong alot. Hey can “fans” be DFA’d? I’m not sure we would get a return, but im ok with unconditional release.
FYI, Smith was not drafted by the Rays. He was drafted by the Tigers.