The Giants are acquiring right-hander Dylan Smith from the Tigers, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. Detroit designated him for assignment when setting their Opening Day roster last week and will get cash considerations in return. San Francisco will need to make a corresponding move to open a 40-man spot for this to become official.
Smith, 26 in May, has a limited major league track record. The Tigers added him to their 40-man roster in May of last year. He spent most of the remainder of the seasons on optional assignment and was also on the minor league injured list for a while. His major league work consisted of 13 innings over seven appearances, allowing two earned runs while surrendering six hits, five walks, hitting three batters and striking out four opponents.
His minor league track record as a reliever is also fairly limited. After being drafted in 2021, the Tigers had him working as a starter for a while. Thanks to some injuries and some mediocre numbers, he was moved to the bullpen in 2025. Around his stints in the majors and his time on the IL, he tossed 39 2/3 minor league innings with a 2.27 earned run average. His 37.7% strikeout rate was massive and his 45.5% ground ball rate was also pretty good, though his 11.3% walk rate was on the high side. His four-seamer and sinker both averaged in the mid-90s while his splitter and slider both averaged in the mid-80s.
Due to his recent move to relief work and his subpar control last year, Smith may be a bit of a project. He got squeezed off the Detroit roster but San Francisco will be the beneficiary. Smith still has a couple of options, so they can shuttle him to the minors and back fairly freely as he tries to rein in his stuff. He has just a handful of service days and could stick with the club for years to come if he takes a step forward and continues to justify a roster spot.
The Giants don’t have a lot of certainty in their bullpen. They traded away Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval last year then lost Randy Rodríguez to Tommy John surgery. They added some guys via small deals but didn’t make any massive moves to upgrade the relief corps, so there’s room for some young guys to flourish.
Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images
Too bad but expected. I think he will work out fine in the pen. Just no room right now in Detroit.
The baseball reference link provided is to a different Dylan Smith
Get those trades working…
I expect this will wind up being a nice gift by the Tigers to SF. Smith looks like a perfectly capable reliever and I think Detroit could have picked a couple other guys to dump over him, but this was the decision that was made.
Kind of makes you wonder what Drew Sommers and Bailey Horn have on Scott Harris, doesn’t it?
Well both are lefties I believe.
Plus Horn is injured right now. Just put Horn on the 60.
Was a little surprised neither Horn or Gipson-Long were moved to the 60day to accommodate McGonigle on the 40man. Neither participated in a Spring Training game and SGL is still seemingly multiple weeks away, but I don’t know how retro-active those moves could’ve been.
The 60 day clock starts on opening day, even if a guy is put on the list at start of ST. Anybody currently on the 60 day won’t be able to be activated until late May.
If the 3 were all viewed similarly, Horn and Sommers had the LH advantage with Sommers also being a recent trade acquisition. Personally I would’ve preferred they kept Smith over Horn but Smith was also the longest tenured so I guess they’d seen enough.
Dylan Smith’s numbers seem better than his actual performance, but there is some talent there if the walks can be reduced. However, that could be said about most struggling relievers.
Control is certainly his issue. Forget about the walks. It’s the 3 hit batters in 13 innings. Oof….
Maybe, but he didn’t hit anyone in the past two years of MiLB ball.
I saw him when he played for the Whitecaps. Very good stuff but control is a major issue. He labored in his start. Whereas Jaden Hamm didn’t have the same kind of stuff but he through good strikes.
Agreed. In addition to the walks, up until last year he was also allowing just too many hits. Lots of base runners.
If you want to talk about a pitcher who had control issues? Then you need to read about the Orioles old farm hand from the 60’s. That would be Steve Dalkowski. Supposedly he could through over 110 mph with no control. Ted Williams was quoted he faced him once in spring training and prayed to God he would never again. Interesting player from the past.
Ted Williams might’ve been just flattering him.
Same with Scott Boras saying Brien Taylor was the “best pitching prospect I’ve ever seen”.
Flattery doesn’t mean fact.
Williams have been saying he wasn’t so much impressed with the guy’s stuff, but instead fearful due to the guy’s lack of control.
And just what are the Tigers getting back from the Giants?
Cash considerations meaning some actual coin (could be 50-100k like Rule 5 movement) and
/or a “let’s keep in touch” for a future move- Harris’ former team so makes sense Smith ended up here.
*consideration of cash or cash consideration.