JUNE 29: Smith will go under the knife next month, Frisaro reports on Twitter. It seems likely, then, that he’ll be targeting a return next year.
JUNE 25, 10:01pm: Smith says he’s considering surgery and is likely going to miss the rest of the year, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets.
7:49pm: Marlins lefty Caleb Smith, who had already been placed on the DL, has been diagnosed with a grade 3 lat strain, per a club announcement. Unfortunately, that’s the most severe designation for a muscle injury.
The Miami organization has not yet given an indication of how long Smith may be down. Given the general diagnosis, though, a lengthy absence seems all but certain. Last year, Noah Syndergaard missed nearly five months with a broadly similar injury.
There are obviously any number of details to the injury that could impact the time Smith spends away. One of them is the simple fact that the Marlins have no reason to rush him back. After all, this was a rebuilding season from the outset.
Smith, who’ll turn 27 this summer, has been perhaps the most notable success story to date for the new Marlins’ leadership in its first year in office. After coming over in an offseason swap with the Yankees, Smith blossomed into the Marlins’ most effective starter and a potential long-term asset. Through 77 1/3 innings on the season, Smith worked to a 4.19 ERA with an impressive 10.2 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.
The season of the lat strain
Sure seems like it doesn’t it?
Gotta be careful with those, Ben Sheets tore his and it pretty much ended his career. Man what a curve ball.
So it’s a shoulder muscle? What is it exactly please?
It’s the big muscle on the back on each side of the spine that’s connected to the shoulder. It slows your arm down after you throw and takes a lot of the stress of the shoulder. Without it, your shoulder can over rotate and that can cause major problems for the labrum or rotator cuff.
Yeah, Ben Sheets was definitely fun to watch. Shame that he and Brandon Webb (shoulder) were both dominant just around the same time and then… gone.
And of course the Marlins will call up literally any pitcher not named Alcantara to save a buck down the line…
Wouldn’t you if you were in their situation?
Sad but true.
No what is sad is that a 4.19 era is consider successful I remember back in the 80’s you were a 4 starter and very mediocre and yes I get that things have changed
While the bottom line ERA is not so hot he had a stretch where he looked like he was the real deal. Striking guys out left and right and giving up 1 or 2 runs. He looked like he was going to emerge as the ace of the squad. While his strikeouts seemed to stay up he started to decline he was sporting an ERA around 3.50 most of the time. He was the first Marlin to get a win when they started of super terrible by beating the Cubs. Then in May he made 5 starts with a 2.60ERA 27.2ip 28Ks .194BAA 1.05WHIP. So he looked like he was on track to break out before he started falling in June.
So yeah thats what they are talking about and sorry for the long defense im actually a fan of his. We dont have much as Marlins fans.
Started him several times in fantasy, mixed results. Tough break for him, his stuff is nasty.
He should return by playoffs…lol
Ya that’s the kind of news you love to hear, especially when you’re already a fan of this team. He was great, especially since April ended. Hopefully he’ll be able to come back from this next year…does Conley get 1 more shot in the rotation, or do they leave him in the role he has been looking good in
I personally want to see Conley get one more chance to start. They really messed with his development by changing so many of his things like his grip and mechanics, this year they had him change his grip again and he started throwing harder. He used to average 93-95 and could hit 97 98 if needed then suddenly he was maxing at 91 91 and sitting around 88. he definitely has some potential and had that great rookie season in the rotation. I would like to see him get another shot but he is doing so well in the pen what do ,Suddenly he is one of the most important pen pieces we have. Since they are so scared to call up Alcantara they should give him his chance. WHat do you think?
Well, Smith was a NL ROY candidate, so it really sucks losing him, especially b/c he has been a stabilizer for us thos year, with our terrible pitching staff…I personally would like to see Conley get another look. I still think he is more than a situational reliever. The problem is that I dont see anyone that’s ready in the organization. I’ve never been high on Alcantara. Gallen still needs some more time. Peters has been awful. Ben Meyer has been shuttled between NO and Miami, and back and forth in roles…at this point, I’d say recall Jarlin Garcia
Jeff Todd will miss the remainder of the season with a lat strain.
Hate that for Dr. K
Maybe I’m just being simplistic, but wouldn’t an aggressive stretching program reduce the number of lat and oblique strains we’re seeing en masse this year?