Carson Smith’s first season with the Boston Red Sox is done, as brief as it might have been.
The Red Sox on Tuesday announced the right-handed reliever will go undergo Tommy John surgery on his right throwing arm. The procedure will be done Tuesday afternoon by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
Smith, whom the Red Sox acquired in an offseason trade with the Seattle Mariners, appeared in just three games. The 26-year-old worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out two batters.
The Red Sox expected Smith to be a valuable late-inning reliever when they acquired him from Seattle in a trade that sent left-handed starter Wade Miley to the Mariners. Smith experienced forearm cramping in a spring training game, though, and started the season on the disabled list. He returned briefly and made his season debut, but he was shut down after being used sporadically before being placed on the disabled list.
If there’s a silver lining for the Red Sox, it’s that the bullpen has pitched well so far this season virtually without Smith. Matt Barnes looks like he has found a comfort zone in the Boston bullpen, and Junichi Tazawa (1.53 ERA, 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings) has filled the role many expected Smith to occupy in the late innings. Even someone like Heath Hembree has been effective since being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
That being said, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Red Sox at least dipped their toes into the trade waters for a reliever.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
