The curse of Tommy John has struck again. The Boston Red Sox announced Tuesday morning that reliever Carson Smith would need to undergo Tommy John surgery. Smith was placed on the 15-day disabled list last week with elbow tightness. An MRI later revealed that the procedure would be necessary.
Rough news for #RedSox: Team announces that reliever Carson Smith will undergo Tommy John surgery today.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 24, 2016
Carson Smith to have Tommy John Surgery
Smith, a righty, came to the Red Sox in the off-season, along with left-handed pitcher Roenis Elias, in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for left-handed starter Wade Miley and righty reliever Jonathan Aro. The intetnion was to Smith to serve as the setup man for newly-acquired closer Craig Kimbrel, another right-hander.
However, Smith landed on the disabled list almost immediately, after experiencing tightness in his forearm during Spring Training. He was declared healthy in early May and rejoined the team, but made only three appearances before heading back to the DL. He felt discomfort while throwing his slider, much like he felt during spring training, which led to him being shut down again.
The start of the 2016 season marked Smith’s third year in the big leagues. He came up in 2014 with the Mariners, and immediately established himself as one of the premier bullpen arms in the game. In his first season, he pitched 8.1 innings across nine appearances, and did not surrender a run. He allowed just two hits and three walks while striking out ten opponents.
The next year, Smith proved that his early success was no fluke. Over seventy innings pitched in 2015, smith recorded a 2.31 ERA and ninety-two strikeouts against just twenty-two walks. He also saved thirteen games, highlighting his potential as a future closer.
Smith is still young, just 26 years old, meaning he is likely to make a successful comeback, assuming the surgery goes well. However, while the Red Sox have him under team control through the 2017 season, he will likely be out for a large portion of next season. He is eligible for arbitration for the first time in 2018.
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