Giants lefty Will Smith is headed for an MRI after leaving today’s outing with pain in his pitching elbow, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters including Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area (Twitter link).
This isn’t the first time that Smith has dealt with elbow problems this spring. In fact, it’s not the first time that he required an MRI this spring, though the first one did come back clean. Smith missed quite a bit of time last year, though that occurred due to a knee injury.
Still, the fact that Smith is again dealing with discomfort isn’t a great sign. And as Pavlovic notes, it make it rather unlikely that the southpaw reliever will be ready for Opening Day, as his prior issue delayed his progression. In fact, today’s appearance was just his second of the spring.
San Francisco added Smith at last year’s trade deadline, giving up righty Phil Bickford and catcher Andrew Susac to control Smith through 2019 via arbitration. The club is paying him $2.5MM this year; Smith earned $1.475MM in 2015 as a Super Two.
Upon joining the Giants, Smith threw 18 1/3 innings of 2.95 ERA ball with 12.8 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. He has largely produced quality results ever since a poor rookie stint as a starter. Over the course of the 2016 campaign, though, Smith averaged just 91.9 mph with his four-seamer, about a mile and a half below his prior two seasons. He also dipped to an 11.5% swinging-strike rate after posting a career-best 15.2% rate in the prior year.
While a setback at this time is obviously disappointing, there is a clear glimmer of hope here. Smith reported only similar discomfort to what he had experienced previously, and didn’t experience a “pop.” (Via Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle; Twitter links.) The lefty says he hopes it’s just a continuation of that prior issue, adding that he’s “trying not to panic.”
For the Giants, there also now seems likely to be an extra spot open in the Opening Day bullpen. According to Pavlovic, it’s likely that Josh Osich and Steven Okert would both take roster spots, though he adds that Ty Blach could also shift to the pen. Other possible competitors include Michael Roth and Kraig Sitton, notes Pavlovic, while veteran minor-league signee Matt Reynolds is also in camp.
Brewers gave up 2 relievers within last several months in Thornburg and Smith. Got back a bullet thrower in Pennington. Bickford. A future middle infielder in Dubon and Shaw to play 3b for them right now… Not bad for non closers is it.
Technically 3, Jeffress was shipped to Tex but they got great value in all of their trades.
And susac
Susac looks like a backup to me.
The Will Smith trade was destined to fail from the start. At least they did well on the moore trade
Is Susac going to be starting for the Brewers this year?
It’s his job to lose
Nope. Looks like he won’t even be in the bigs. Jett Bandy and Manny Pina will likely make up the catching tandem.
Not really they gave up a Solid SS in Matt Duffy a good hitting prospect prospect and a solid pitching prospect for Moore.
Except Duffy was blocked by Crawford at short, and the Giants needed to make room for Arroyo. I don’t know how high they were on Licious Fox, though. Good trade, imo.
Any time you can trade an 18th round pick for a former #1 prospect you do it. Moore is solid and under team control for a good cost. Duffy is nothing considering what pitching has been traded for in the past few years