The Mets announced Tuesday that first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Righty Adonis Medina has been recalled from Triple-A to take his spot on the active roster. Andrew Cohen of Sports Business Journal reported the news before the team announcement (Twitter link).
The demotion to Triple-A is the latest step in a pronounced downturn for Smith, who was one of the better hitters in the National League from 2019-20 when he slashed .299/.366/.571 through 396 trips to the plate. At that point, the former No. 11 overall pick and longtime top prospect looked to have finally solidified himself as a big league regular who could serve as a focal point in the Mets’ lineup for years to come.
The National League didn’t have the luxury of a designated hitter at that point, which complicated things from a playing time vantage point, given that the Mets also had Pete Alonso on the roster. Smith got a look in left field as the Mets hoped to keep both sluggers in the lineup, but through 1240 innings dating back to 2019, he’s posted dismal marks in the eyes of all defensive metrics (-7 Defensive Runs Saved, -8 Ultimate Zone Rating, -15 Outs Above Average).
Had Smith’s bat remained as productive as it was in 2019-20, perhaps the Mets might’ve lived with that poor glovework and given him a full slate of innings in left last year. However, Smith’s downturn at the plate began in 2021, when he slashed just .244/.304/.363 in 493 plate appearances. Smith told reporters this spring that he played through a small tear in his labrum last year (link via SI.com’s Pat Ragazzo), and he’s been been unable to rebound in 2022 while receiving sparse playing time alongside fellow defensively challenged slugger J.D. Davis. Smith has just 101 plate appearances on the year and has turned in a grisly .186/.287/.256 slash.
The Mets reportedly received trade interest on both Smith and Davis over the winter, but even after creating what looked to be an infield/outfield logjam they opted to hold on to both players. Between Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and offseason signees Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha and Starling Marte, it wasn’t clear just how Smith and/or Davis would fit into the infield/outfield rotation. So far, they really haven’t Smith’s 101 plate appearances speak to his limited use, and Davis has had even fewer plate appearances (90). Those plate appearance tallies haven’t been impacted by injury, either, as neither player has spent time on the IL in 2022.
Perhaps the Mets weren’t keen to sell low on Smith after he’d been such a productive hitter in 2019-20, but his stock has only dropped since the offseason. He’ll be able to get regular at-bats in Triple-A as he hopes to sort through his issues at the plate, and the hope is, of course, that more frequent reps at the plate will help him unlock his potential. Even if Smith rakes in Syracuse, though, he’ll still be looking up at the same crowded roster that led to such infrequent playing time to begin with.
Smith has been asked repeatedly about whether he’d prefer a trade to another team, and to his credit, he’s generally deflected those opportunities to speak out and stir the pot. Asked about the subject just two weeks ago, Smith reiterated his desire to play every day while continuing to speak positively about the Mets (link via Newsday’s Anthony Rieber). “I like where this team is going,” Smith said at the time. “I feel like I can impact this team in a number of ways, and that’s being [in the lineup] every day, in my opinion.” Smith did, however, acknowledge that the opportunity may not come with the Mets.
It’s a fine line for a player to walk, but it’d have been easy for Smith to clamor for a trade, either via interviews with the Mets beat or by more directly requesting a trade form the front office. To this point, neither has happened, though it’s feasible that being sent to Triple-A for the first time since 2018 (excluding a two-game rehab stint in ’19) could finally push him to do so. Then again, given his struggles since that huge showing in 2019-20 might make other teams wary to aggressively pursue a deal. A contending club, for example, isn’t likely to acquire Smith and plug him right into its everyday lineup, but it stands to reason that a rebuilding club might be more willing to do so.
Smith, after all, is controllable through the 2024 season, so he could be a multi-year piece should any team look to acquire him. Being sent to Triple-A won’t impact that timeline, as he entered the 2022 season with three years and 146 days of MLB service, meaning he needed only 26 days of service to reach four-plus years of service time. He’s already done that, so even in the unlikely event that he remained in Triple-A for the remainder of the season season, he’d still have the service time needed to qualify for free agency post-2024.
Optioning Smith to Triple-A should at least ostensibly appears to open some more playing time for the aforementioned Davis, who has top-of-the-scale exit velocity and hard-hit rates, even if the results aren’t there at this point. It could also mean some additional playing time for rookie Nick Plummer, who just surely turned some heads with a 4-for-8, two-homer showing in the Mets’ pair of games on May 29-30. With Canha, Marte and Nimmo all healthy, Plummer will be viewed more as a reserve option for now, but there’ll be some occasional outfield and DH at-bats available to him.
I guess he’s gotta work on his swing or something.
19 was the juiced ball year and 20 was just 60 games. Unfortunately he doesn’t have the needed power or consistent bat to play first and he was lousy (or worse) in the OF.
Yea it is certainly starting to look that way. I still wonder what he could do if just handed an everyday first baseman job somewhere.
He was just handed a regular 1B job in AAA. Lets see how he does there.
The Mets dropped the ball with that when they signed Adrian Gonzalez. Smith should have been given his shot to sink or swim.
Agreed. That signing never made sense.
Also agree. Without power though, he have to be a special bat to play first.
Think Chilli Davis was hitting coach. Mets were lucky to be .500 that year and could have got some on the job training. But will never know. He is not an outfielder. Tried that with duda. My point was shouldnhave threw him out there and said here is your shot kid.
Was it Adrian Gonzalez? Or John Milner?
Oakland A’s on line 1. Gotta be better than running Christian Bethancourt out there everyday. This is the NBA right?
Bethancourt makes MLB minimum (and is expendable at end of season), so the answer is “no” to a call they won’t make.
He has 2 years of Arb left, and it’s not like he’s going to suddenly be awarded an 8 figure salary.
There should be a number of rebuilding teams who should take a flyer on him if the Mets are dealing. Oak, Pgh, Cubs off the top of my head.
“2 years of arb left”
= completely irrelevant to the A’s rebuild. They can fill in 1B for much cheaper and not waste trade value.
It wouldn’t make sense for Pittsburgh. They have enough scrubs
I disagree. Pittsburgh could trade Jose Quintana to the Mets for both Dominic Smith and JT Schwartz. Win-win deal.
Dom Smith to the Cubs for David Robertson straight up.
Sheesh. That stat line is mind boggling
59 OPS+ not doing it for you?
He needs consistent AB’s to enhance his trade value. It’s a shame as I’m fan and this could be the end for Dom in a Mets uniform barring injury to the MLB roster
Yea you may be right
He has limited to no trade value just like JD Davis. Any team acquiring either will give you back their damaged goods, players with no valued ceilings or a player or two that have no options left, etc. The Rays consistently move players before their value becomes under water. Big money teams though seem to keep their home grown players for fear they will be second guessed should a player turn it on for another team.
I think the point is that if he tears it up at AAA, maybe his trade value ticks up a bit.
Can’t imagine Smith has value, but I would think most teams would be able to see that Davis at least has been smoking the ball and has had bad luck. His defensive shortcomings hurt, but assuming the hits start falling for JD he’s a solid DH option who can backup at 3B and play left in a pinch.
Jd davis should get them a four a flyer and smith might get them some cash!
Whatever theoretical potential both have no team is gonna pay the Mets for that theoretical potential they are gonna pay your the bit player price they have been
Without power, batting .275 at AAA is not enough for first base.
Best thing for Dom though.
Should be the end for his sake. Alonso is the 1B for quite a while.
I’m ecstatic to see him sent down. He was a liability and gave us pitcher production out of the DH. JD Davis is now being given more opportunities which is a big plus.
What a shame… I really really like this kid but he just hasn’t put up the numbers. I hope he figures it out soon. I’d love to see him stay but it looks like he’s getting regular at bats for trade value.
Ha ha ha
An intelligent and insightful comment.
Al, you are unequivocally obnoxious. Learn baseball better
Al. Know more. Learn more. Do better.
This is as much a result of the pitching staff squeeze as Dom’s performance. With Nimmo hurting lately, and McNeil in LF, the only PH ABs for the Mets have been hitting for the catcher. Even when Nimmo plays, he probably needs some DH time, which cuts Dom’s playing time again.
His shooting his mouth recently didn’t help, of course…
How did he shoot his mouth off?
Perfect fit for the A’s.
A Super 2 Arbitration case ‘power hitter’ who hasn’t hit a homer in a year?
Targeted in trade by the A’s?
L O f’n L
Yea Smith for Montas. Perfect.
Nah Montas is worth way more at this point. Low level prospect.
Sarcasm not your strong suit I take it?
Yea I know lol Smith isn’t worth much right now
He and jd davis are worth cash ,
Yea, bitcoin maybe
Hope if traded,he goes to an AL team.I think a fresh start with a new organization is all he needs.Wish him the best wherever he ends up.
A’s would be perfect
Except that he’s the exact opposite of what the A’s usually look for.
You forgot the IM
CLE will be happy to install Smith at 1B because he can’t be any worse than anyone they’ve run out there for the past 2 years. They can just send the Mets the cash considerations they just got from PIT for Yu Chang, and everybody’s happy
The Mets most certainly would NOT be happy with that.
Cleveland does not need a 1B. Josh Naylor has done well and fits better at 1B than OF and Owen Miller can play there as well. Cleveland is not going to block a young player. This season for Cleveland is to find which of their current young players are worth keeping while their top prospects likely arrive next season. They will not want Smith and his attitude.
His attitude is fine
Complaining about playing time is not being a team player in my opinion. Not the type of player for a team like Cleveland filled with young players. would want. I don’t see him ending up in Cleveland.
I don’t mind a player wanting more playing time and being vocal about it. It was a one time thing. If he continued griping, I’d agree with you, but players are occasionally aloud to voice displeasure without being labeled difficult.
I smell a trade coming
Yeah. Dom Smith for cash considerations right around the corner.
Felt this coming.
Wish he could have figured it out, but with the DH now JD’s adv metrics paint him as the obvious one to keep.
Without any question. That is especially true after the last few days. Not to mention the hit JD laid down in the best Met Game in the last 5 years, the 5/5/22 7 run comeback.
Numbers outside of 2020 don’t paint a good picture, on his own Dom probably would not even be worth an MLB reliever in a deal. Best thing for him is to rake in Syracuse.
This Mets team is so good, so any complaint is a nitpick, but I do think they should’ve traded Dom in the offseason. Doesn’t matter. Mets are will make a long playoff run as is.
I doubt they’d have gotten much for him anyway. I know there were a few rumors, it ultimately I don’t think they’d have gotten anything more than a scrub reliever for him even then. I’d continue to hang on to him. No point in trading him for peanuts.
I think this is a compliment to Guillorme too. Guilorme probably continuing to get the bulk of 2B, McNeil getting some 2B, some LF, but semi regular DH, especially once Nimmo is healthy and the Canha, Nimmo, Marte OF is back. The other OF’s cycling in some DH days for McNeil to get time on the grass. Davis really just pinch hitting.
Yea with Guillorme heating up they don’t need to sit and wait for Dom’s lefty bat to come around.
I think JD deserves the bulk of ABs at DH. I think the decision makers wanted to give Dom as many opportunities as possible due to him playing 1B which would give them some flexibility with Pete.
So, who backs up first base? Is there anyone on the roster with any experience at all?
That’s a good question. You’d hope they got J.D. some time out there but I dunno.
Looks like Davis only has 15 games there in his career but Canha has 118 games on 1B. Most of them 6 years ago, but he might be the guy.
Canha, McCann, Davis, McNeil… in that order I’d say
This new regime is a production regime. If you are a player on the margins and you don’t produce you will be replaced by someone who does. Cohen treats the mets like his hedge fund and thats what we always needed here and we finally have!
Saw his interview before the LA Trip. He said he is happy to be where we are but he is still looking for ways to improve.
Perhaps the beneficiary of the juiced ball. His best position is 1B. He still might thrive on a team with a need there who will play him regularly at 1B.
This is just as much about Guillorme’s breakout. With his glove, you play him at second everyday and McNeil becomes your primary DH, spelling Luis when needed.
Sounds like the kind of player Cashman would like to take a flyer on ,wouldn’t cost much and the Yankees could certainly use all the bats they can get their hands on at this point ,with all the injuries
There should be a team willing to pick him up for little more than salary relief. Cleveland has 1 HR out of the DH slot, and, incredibly, -0- HRs out of LF. Have the NYMs pick up half the remaining salary in exchange for a lottery ticket. He was a pretty good hitter for four years.
I doubt Cleveland would have any interest in Smith. They have plenty of young players to sort through this season with their best prospects coming either later this year or definitely by next season.
I will be vindicated in saying if and when he and jd davis are traded it will never be for anything Mets fans would ever care for!
Truthfully it’s the queens version of Clint Frazier and Miguel andujar! Frazier of the four actually at least once had value to other teams
Frazier to me is ahole. Made those rude remarks about getting a shot with cubs and his chance to shine. He had a good amount of chances and fans were rooting for him. Really rubbed me wrong.
I don’t know if anyone can look this up but it seems that since Dom Smith kneeled for the anthem in 2020, he hasn’t hit well since. Probably just coincedence but still interesting
That is not a correlation whatsoever lol I’m all about freedom of speech and everyone deserves to express it but by him kneeling doesn’t do anything but make a few conservatives upset. He’s just not heating up at the right time.
@StefanArkansas A big part of baseball is your mental state. Its not like suddenly Dom doesn’t know how to hit anymore. Obviously theres something bothering him. You can tell by seeing his at bats. Hes clearly not happy. Ever since he kneeled, he hasnt been hitting. Mentally that might be part of the reason why
That’s baseball. 90% mental. He knows that. He’s on the team with his best friend and people he’s known for years. I don’t believe kneeling did that. Maybe not starting or hitting well is getting in his head. I doubt the fight against racism is bothering him enough to not be good. Who knows but no there’s zero correlation.
I can’t believe someone even thought to post this.
Behold! The barrel had a false bottom all along!
Here we have truly found the dregs of commentary.
BTW LFG, ever since you posted this, I’ve been able to tell how you’ve been off your game. Obviously something has been bothering you to where you haven’t been able to perform. Probably just coincidence, but still very interesting.
Nothing Tom Seaver ever would have done.
@LFG Mets. Wow. 60 some responses here. From what I can see you r the only one to raise the topic of a players’ mental health. Way to say what’s on your mind! Personally, probably something physical that needs a tweak here. That said; sports phycologists are definitely a thing at the MLB level. Pretty sure close to every team has one on staff plus many players have their own. For the sake of argument, let’s say something is eating away at his emotions, if the Mets offer mental health help, hopefully players are taking advantage of it including Dom. Wish him the best!
LGFMets you are 100% correct even if some folks don’t like hearing it. Smith, Hicks, and Frazier all have one thing in common. Smith and Hicks had politics on their minds and Frazier his hot GF. Downhill ever since. Priorities, priorities, priorities. I sincerely wish the guy well, maybe he can get his head together in 3A. Stay away from the social media.
You’ve GOT to be kidding. Politics and hot girlfriends?
Now there’s a hot take.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, guess you’ve had lots of experience with that right? lol
funny, considering there’s a bunch of players who caught covid since 2020 and haven’t played well since.
probably just coincidence but still interesting.
@censorshipsux Name the players that caught covid that haven’t been doing well since? Any examples? @Silas named some for his arguement. Care to bring up some?
Your uncle probably burned the flag in ’67. Stupid comment? Don’t like my comment? good, that’s how I feel about yours.
No flag burners, just Vets and one POW. Bottom line is no politics in sports. We watch baseball to get away from that garbage. Same goes for movies. I’m not going to pay $15 bucks or whatever to have some douchebag insert their political crap into the story line of a movie. Not having it
Good. Stop watching; more time to practice that tiny violin.
And stay off my lawn while you’re at it!
Shouldn’t you be taking a nap? Can’t stay woke forever.
And there it is.
Don’t tread on Ol’ Silas or he’ll curmudgeon you.
I agree with you 120%, politics have no place in sports, enough garbage going on in our society today than to have to try to ruin baseball.
Nothing like getting under a humorless lefty’s skin. Thinner than nanofabric graphine. lol
Thank you Tomas, well put.
If Dom Smiths beliefs have you this hot and bothered, and if “political crap” inserted by “douchebags” into movies has you swearing them off, maybe you ought to take a minute to reflect on what it is to have a thin skin, bud.
lol we really have to stop meeting like this, people will talk….
Don would be good trade bait for Oakland and the A’s starter Montas whom has been looking very good lately. The Mets have had people there scouting him; Dom would be cheap for Billy Bean and be able to play everyday and possibly resurrect his batting average, the A’s still have some good coaches left even after Melvin left. I’d sure like to see Dom do well, as everyone knows he’s great around first base.
“Dom would be cheap for Billy Bean”
No.
Brown and Bethancourt have both already delivered more value this year than Smith, at bat and at 1B. Both are pre-arb, Smith is Super 2.
Bye Bye Sleepy Dom. 1B without Power and sub mendoza line BA.
In real time at the 2013 Draft, I and many Mets Posters on the MLB Board would have taken Aaron Judge who went #32.
I never liked the Dom Smith Pick at # 11.
I never like the idea of drafting a first baseman
You prefer to play with just eight defenders on the field? People always bad mouth first basemen, but they are involved in more plays than anyone on the field other than the battery.
Tons of players drafted at other positions end up at first base. No need to draft a first baseman. Half of your third baseman and corner OFrs will end up there by the time they reach AAA anyway (slight exaggeration). Finding/training a first baseman is just too easy in this sport. Most players can ultimately be converted to the position. End up with two good hitting third baseman? Convert one to first base (although you probably already have a couple).
The Mets current depth chart at first, and they’re very okay with this, is: Pete, LF (Canha), C (McCann), DH(JD), 3B (Escobar) with Guillorme and McNeil in there somewhere too.
Theres one natural first baseman there and he’s probably not even the best defender on the depth chart.
Vientos is on his way to queens this year most likely.
I hope so. He isn’t exactly hitting well at AAA right now though.
Yeah but his numbers seem to be picking up.
You didn’t even know who Aaron Judge was at that time. LMAO
Dom Smith was disgruntled and wanted to play everyday somewhere else.
Unfortunately for Smith, that’s where he’s headed. Smith will bring to Syracuse a paltry .186 batting average with zero homers and 14 RBIs through 39 games with the big-league squad this season.
Selling a bushel of apples at a lower price than peak market price is a lot better than allowing those apples to waste away and rot. They should have traded him for the best offer because he clearly was not needed. Now the price they get for him will be even lower, if they can even sell him at all,
Not if that lower price is basically nothing. Dom’s potential is worth more than the nothing they’d get for him. If he fizzles out, they lose nothing. They ain’t getting anything for him anyway.
Basically nothing is still better than actually nothing.
But Smith isn’t nothing. His potential is worth MORE than nothing. Plus, your premise is flawed. A scrub, replacement level reliever is not really better than nothing. If you can’t sell something for money is it therefore worthwhile to sell it for pebbles? Pebbles are basically nothing. You can get that bad reliever somewhere else anyway. Better than losing Smith. It’d be asinine to trade him for basically nothing. This idea to trade him for anything just to get rid of him is ridiculous. Get something worthwhile or keep him. He’s not useless and he’s likely more valuable than a scrub reliever.
Smh, Mets turned down trade for Hosmer, Paddack and Pagan for Smith earlier this year. Even with Paddack injury concerns still should have been done.
What’s that they say about hindsight?
Nah. Not worth taking on the Hosmer contract. Plus, it was only a rumor, probably very little truth to it.
Mets have history of poor hindsight. Thought these were the new Mets.
Certainly not a rumour. Widely reported by reputable news outlets. Padres wanted out of Hosmer contract.
Still say it’s not worth the Hosmer contract and I don’t trust media rumors, they report stuff too casually without regard to actualities.
Dom Smith, and a lottery ticket to someone for some cash and a lottery ticket with lower odds. Probably the best they can hope for.
I’d rather just keep him. He has minor league options. If we’re getting nothing in return why not just keep him? He still has potential.
Hosmer raking with BA of .312 with 4 HR’s and 24 ribbies in ’22. Not worth the contract?
Nope. Not worth it. Too much money, team doesn’t need him and he is certain to regress. He’s just hot, he hasn’t suddenly become a different player. That contract is a disaster for whomever holds it…. Actually the annual drops down quite a bit next year, but still likely wasted money.
I have never understood why some fans try to prop up their past their prime player who is signed to a big contract. It’s just easier to admit that your team messed up that signing. It’s okay to bash your favorite team and a player you like. Hosmer is nice, but not worth the contract, and no player past his prime is worth meg bucks.
Drives me a bit nuts when teams hold onto players who don’t really have a true fit on the roster. And with Smith, that’s been the case for multiple years now.
I understand why, of course, as squads have every right to keep said players around and depth is beyond important, but I feel both parties could’ve benefited had the Mets dealt Dom — or Davis for that matter.
I just don’t think they’d ever have gotten anything worthwhile for him. His potential has always been worth more than the middling reliever they’d get for him. He’s worthwhile as a pinch hitter, DH or backup if he ever starts hitting again.
The Mets continue to make the hard moves to make. There is no reason to carry dead weight
This is just another example as to why fans should not be casting votes for Cooperstown on any player until he’s been doing it for at least a couple of FULL seasons.
Dom’s problem is he hasn’t adjusted to the Mets new offensive philosophy. Unable or unwilling to hit away from the shift, too may unproductive at-bats failing to move runners over. Too slow to go from 1st to third or 2nd to home on a single on a consistent basis.
The left-handed DH spot was his for the taking with the release of Cano but Nick Plummer is the one that stepped up.
Having said all that Dom could still have a productive career with the right team but that team is not the Mets.
Pretty much no player hits away from the shift. It’s just not a skill most players develop and it can’t be picked up in an off season or two. Pretty rare skill.
@HarryO
How about the possibility of Dom’s problem being that he’s just not as good as he was hyped up to be? Every single guy that makes it to MLB has some sort of talent and potential, but half of them end up being on the bench, platoon, relivers (pitchers) or bouncing between MLB and AAA; another 25% of them end up being starting players that support stars or backend rotation (pitchers); another 1/8th end up being solid to good starting players or mid-rotation pitchers; and then there are a small portion that are potential All Star caliber players, with a smaller portion of that are guys that are Superstars and potential Hall of Famers who are the guys that did live up to or surpass their potential.
In short, MLB is composed of players who have talent and potential like Dom Smith. Most MLB players don’t live up to it at varying degrees. At some point you have to stop making the excuses for a guy that ain’t cutting the mustard until he shows otherwise…if he ever does. The next talented guy with potential is waiting to replace him…and if he lives up to the potential, the guy that failed is forgotten.
It’s only a rare skill because too many teams haven’t been rewarding them for it. You or I don’t really know how long it takes to develop that skill but it certainly won’t happen if a player isn’t willing to change.
According to Bill James, such a skill is something that takes years and years of development. Further evidence is that fact that almost no players do hit away from the shift. Also, players have repeatedly said that having more than one swing is just something they see as too complicated to adjust to. They’re not lazy, if the adjustment could be made mid-career, more players would have done it. It’s something an organization needs to develop starting in the minors. So far, no one seems enthusiastic.
Multiple swing approaches become habit when taught from the start (Little League). Unfortunately I remember seeing this years ago when my kid was playing and coaches were trying to get kids to jack the ball out of the park…essentially abandoning the process of going with the pitch in favor of trying to pull the ball and achieve a launch angle. It’s not a surprise that the kids of that generation are now the MLB players who can be stopped by the shift.
Can you imagine trying to play the shift against guys like Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, Keith Hernandez, George Brett, Rod Carew, Harold Baines, the 1980s Astros, the 1980s Cardinals, Edgar Martinez, Frank Thomas, Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter in his prime and the late 1990s Yankees, Miggy Cabrera in his prime, Albert Pujols in his prime, etc…or even the Brett Butler, Juan Pierre, Willie McGee, etc. types? Those guys would be salivating at that proposition.
Smith talked up Votto for turning around his game a few years ago.
Reds might have a need at 1B or DH soon.
MLB IS TOTALLY RUINING BASEBALL.
Tickets for Round Rock Express
WENT FROM $20 TO $50.
MLB SUCKS
MANFRED SUCKS
BASEBALL IS NOTHING BUT A RIP OFF!!!!
MLB SUCKS!!!!!
Dom also has a salary sneaking up onto the radar of any small market teams. He would arb to about thec5th highestvA or Red next year. A lot to slot to a one position guy batting Mendosa.
It’s a solid point. Dom’s not good enough to support an arb2 or arb3 salary. The Mets are likely to cut him or start him off in 2023 in Syracuse. If he’s cut he’ll get picked up on a split contract or the like. No one’s going to commit to Dom’s next arb award unless he really picks it up. It won’t be because he had a great OPS one year out of six.
“It’s a fine line for a player to walk, but it’d have been easy for Smith to clamor for a trade, either via interviews with the Mets beat or by more directly requesting a trade form the front office.”
“Easy”? Try “foolish.”
Dom’s at the point where anything other than “I just want to help the ballclub any way I can” would be the dumbest sort of career suicide. He’s been lousy for two years, and only had the one stretch in his career of 199 PA where he warranted an everyday lineup slot, where his hitting wasn’t swallowed by his dismal defense.
His 2020 season was also fueled by luck on balls in play he won’t see again. Dom might turn into someone’s decent DH over time, but for now he needs to focus on learning how to hit, particularly with a coach who’ll sit with him and compare the tape from 2019 and 2020 w/ that of 2021 and 2022. Best of luck to him, but it’s difficult to be optimistic.