Mets’ Drew Smith could need second Tommy John surgery after ‘pretty significant’ injury
An emotional Drew Smith revealed Friday that he has “pretty significant” ligament damage in his right elbow and he could be headed for the second Tommy John surgery of his career.
“It’s a cruel game,” Smith said before the Mets beat the Astros, 7-2, on Friday at Citi Field, “and sometimes it’s unfair.”
Smith, who is awaiting a second medical opinion, last pitched Sunday.
He warmed up quickly in the ninth inning after Edwin Diaz was ejected for sticky stuff, recorded two outs and then signaled to the dugout to be checked by a trainer.
The 30-year-old right-hander stayed in the game, surrendered a single and then was pulled.
Could those unusual circumstances have caused the injury?
“Friday when I pitched, I started feeling it a little bit … toward the end of my outing,” Smith said. “Then Saturday I was pretty stiff. Did treatment and got it feeling better and then when I went into pitch Sunday, I kind of knew something was going on. I just tried to pitch through it. I don’t think the warm-up had anything to do with the outcome. I think it was already kind of decided.”
For the red-hot Mets, it’s another blow to a depleted and shaky bullpen. Smith has a 3.06 ERA and two saves in 19 appearances.
“We’re going to need guys to step up,” general manager David Stearns said. “This is not unique to us.”
For Smith, it’s inopportune timing as he is in his contract year.
He made his MLB debut for the 2018 Mets but missed the next season after undergoing his first Tommy John surgery.
“I’ve been with the Mets for a long time, and I love this organization,” Smith said. “I don’t know if my time here is over, obviously, but it could be, and it just sucks to see it end like this.”
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza lamented the bad news delivered after a few days of rest did nothing to help Smith, who still felt pain playing catch.
“Our job is to help him,” Mendoza said. “He’ll get back on the field. He was always available, always wanted to take the ball, always wanted to help the team.”
Francisco Lindor “rolled his ankle” at second base on his RBI double in the eighth inning, Mendoza said.
“He’s fine,” Mendoza said.
Tyrone Taylor homered for the second straight game, marking his first time going deep in back-to-back games since June 23-24, 2022 with the Brewers.
Mendoza and Astros manager Joe Espada played for the same independent minor-league team once upon a time. Mendoza was a bench coach on Espada’s staff for one year in winter ball in Puerto Rico.
And they overlapped as Yankees coaches, though Mendoza didn’t join the MLB staff until the same year that Espada departed (2018).
“We know each other pretty well,” Mendoza said. “I’m proud of him and where he’s at. It will be fun to compete against him.”
It didn’t last long as Espada was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh inning.