Mets' Drew Smith says he'll likely need Tommy John surgery for second time
Reliever Drew Smith, 30, is the longest-tenured Mets pitcher; he has been in the organization since he was acquired from Tampa Bay in 2017 in a trade for Lucas Duda. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
A teary-eyed Drew Smith on Friday said he likely will need a second Tommy John surgery, which, given that he’s a free agent after the season, could end the reliever’s Mets career.
“It just sucks,” Smith said. “To be my second one. Been with the Mets for a long time, and I love this organization. They’ve done a lot for me. Obviously, going to free agency, it’s a tough time for this to happen. There’s never a good time for it to happen, but this really stings. I love my time here. I don’t know if it’s over, obviously, but it could be.”
Smith, who last pitched on Sunday, said he had an MRI that “showed some pretty significant damage.” He will be getting a second opinion before committing to surgery, but he said going under the knife “seems like the most likely option right now.”
Smith, 30, is the longest-tenured Mets pitcher. He has been in the organization since he was acquired from Tampa Bay in 2017 in a trade for Lucas Duda.
This season, he is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and two saves in 19 appearances. His previous Tommy John surgery came in 2019, a year after his big-league debut with the Mets.
“Steve [Cohen] texted me when he found out and was really supportive,” Smith said, “and I talked to [president of baseball operations] David Stearns and they’re both very supportive and said the team will be there for me whatever I need throughout the rehab process and everything this year. They obviously feel for me, but it’s a cruel game and sometimes it’s unfair.”
Smith, who was on the injured list earlier this season with shoulder tightness, said he felt “pretty stiff” after pitching June 21 but felt better the next day.
On Sunday, Smith entered the game at Wrigley Field in the ninth after Edwin Diaz was ejected for having a sticky substance on his pitching hand. Smith faced three batters, getting two outs, before being replaced by Jake Diekman.
“When I went in to pitch Sunday, I kind of knew something was going on and I just tried to pitch through it,” Smith said. “It was already ongoing at that point.”
Smith’s career numbers are 12-13 with a 3.48 ERA and five saves in 191 appearances, all but one of them in relief.
Senga rehab next week
Kodai Senga (shoulder) threw live batting practice during the Mets’ day off on Thursday and will throw a bullpen session on Sunday. If all goes well, he will make a minor-league rehab start in the middle of next week.
“I think what we saw here in a live BP session was really encouraging,” Stearns said. “Taking this next step in a minor-league rehab game would be really good.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.