Red Sox reliever Carson Smith left today’s game after just five pitches upon experiencing forearm issues, as Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports. The righty is said to have had “tightness” and “a little cramping,” which he said he’s never felt before.
Forearm issues, of course, can often be predecessors to more significant elbow troubles, so it’s easy to see why Boston manager John Farrell was quick to react. Both Farrell and Smith expressed some concern, though it’s obviously too soon to know the prognosis. According to the statistical research of MLBTR contributor Bradley Woodrum, Smith has a slightly elevated Tommy John risk profile entering 2016.
Smith was a significant offseason acquisition for newly-minted Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who sent Wade Miley and Jonathan Aro to the Mariners for Smith and southpaw Roenis Elias. He is expected to hold down an important setup role in a reworked Boston pen.
After an outstanding but brief debut in 2014, Smith delivered a big campaign last year in his first full season of MLB work, getting excellent results from his sidearm delivery and sinker/slider combo. The former eight-round draft pick spun 70 frames of 2.31 ERA pitching, racking up 11.8 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. He also induced grounders on 64.8% of the balls put in play against him while surrendering only two long balls, making for a rare combination of strikeout ability and batted-ball dominance.
Smith is not just a near-term asset, of course, as he’s compiled just 1.028 years of MLB service to date. Boston controls him for two more seasons at the league minimum and can keep him via arbitration through 2020.
The Red Sox will send Smith in for an evaluation with the club physician this evening, and Silverman suggests an MRI appears likely. While acknowledging his concern, Smith did note that “we toyed with some tests in there” — presumably, referring to the clubhouse — “and … there were optimistic results.”
There’s still ample late-inning depth in Boston, of course, beginning with fellow offseason acquisition Craig Kimbrel in the 9th inning. Stalwarts Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa are still on hand, with other options in camp including righties Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Noe Ramirez, Roman Mendez, and Carlos Marmol. Knuckler Steven Wright could work from the pen if he doesn’t crack the rotation, as could Elias or fellow southpaw Brian Johnson.
Carson Smith is a big strong dude at 6’6″ 230… I have a gut feeling he’ll be fine
i was unaware that short people were more prone to arm injuries.
Actually smaller pitchers are considered less durable in the long run.
considered, but that really shown to be less durable
Smaller pitchers with high velocity are more prone, not smaller pitchers in general. Any pitcher that throws hard has a higher chance than soft tossers(unless the soft tossers mechanics are terrible) as it creates more stress. Either way any discomfort is always concerning.
I have a gut feeling he will need tommy john just because you think he doesn’t. You’re wrong on mostly every thing you post and I don’t think you know enough on his arm, so I don’t see this trend stopping now
LOL You dont think he is right? Maybe they can trade Smith for Trout now? Opps I gave him a trade idea.
Are you an adult? Ever hear it was funny the first time…
Sorry, but this gets funnier each time. I remember when he, and others, were talking all kinds of stupidity after Boxberbger went down last week…
Now, I wouldn’t wish harm on any ball player (except for maybe A-roid and papi) but this is ironic considering how pumped sox fans were when our closer went down.
Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Josh Johnson, Stephen Strasburg, Mike Pelfrey, Matt Harvey. Those are all big strong dudes.
David Aardsma also and some (Aardsma, Pelfrey) never came all the way back from TJ with previous velocity either.
Sox fans are hoping Smith only had some cramping today, but only a bit of time will tell.
Barnes probably heads the short list of people who has the upper hand to fill the 25 man temporarily in his spot, He seems to have better command of his upper 90’s FB this spring and a better idea of when to use his curve and change in the relief role.
Pelfrey had the highest velocity of his career at the end of last year, hence the 2 yr deal.
Doctor bigpapi4ever strikes again.
lol
Where was Carson Smith on the list of Tommy John candidates? Even “big strong dude(s)” have been known to go down with TJ. I hope this is minor for him. Never want to see anyone seriously hurt.
He was listed at about a 2% risk.
That sucks. Hope he recovers.
Ugh, first E-Rod, now this. Like I don’t have enough to worry about with the likes of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez.
just a knee for erod though, and he’s coming along
If he goes down will all the Red Sox Fans whine Seattle sent them damaged goods like the Yankees did with Pineda?
Probably, but maybe they need to hire some good doctors first. Sox should have every scouting report and medical record and exam already…at this point if smith had skipped his measles booster at age 8…they should be getting it to him.
Very rare to see a pitcher pulled with forearm tightness, get an MRI and then turn out to be fine. If I was a betting man I wouldn’t expect to see him make his Red Sox debut until July or August of ’17.
I have a very bad feeling about this.
Man I was Really hoping to flip him along with Murphy and Craig in the Sale Deal!
If it needed TJ would forearm tightness be the big symptom? woudlnt it be elbow pain?
Actually forearm tightness can be a big indicator for it
The UCL (the ligament repaired in TJ) runs through your forearm and is connected to your wrist, so when it is stretched too much it puts a lot of strain your forearm where it is connected rather than your elbow where it is not.
I have a working theory that Bigpapi4ever is actually semi-retired broadcaster Hawk Harrelson. With time on his hands he’s going back to his beloved BoSox. He’s currently fighting the dead giveaway pointless man-crush posting about Yaz.
I haven’t seen any comments by him today
He’s had quite a few pretty stupid replies today actually.