Mets reliever Drew Smith has surgery, won't pitch again until 2026
Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith delivers against the Brewers during an MLB game on Opening Day at Citi Field on March 29. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
When Drew Smith had season-ending elbow surgery Friday, it wound up being the worse version: full-blown Tommy John surgery, the second of his career.
He said previously that that operation — as opposed to the less-involved internal brace procedure — would keep him out 16 months or so. He won’t pitch again until 2026.
“You hate to see it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But he’s still young. He’ll get back on the field, he’ll get back on track. He’s got a lot of innings left in him.”
After an initial post-op period at home in the Dallas area, where Dr. Keith Meister performed his surgery, Smith plans to return to New York to be around the Mets down the stretch.
Smith, 30, is due to be a free agent this offseason.
Scott gets tested
After Christian Scott started on four days of rest — the norm in the majors — for a second time in a row, Mendoza wondered if the rookie righthander got fatigued near the end.
Scott allowed three runs, all on a pair of homers, in 4 1⁄3 innings in a 7-3 win over the Rockies on Saturday.
“The fastball had life early on, but I want to say he got tired a little bit,” Mendoza said. “He had to pitch out of a couple of jams — runner at second base, nobody out — and got out of it . . . I think he just got tired toward the end. Back-to-back outings when he’s going on normal rest, which is part of the development, part of the learning experience at this level. But I thought he was OK.”
Scott said: “I’m really excited for the opportunity to go every five days. Every time I can get the ball, I’m going to take full advantage of it. So gotta do a little bit of a better job, deeper in counts with runners in scoring position or runners on base, being able to execute outside the zone and in the zone. Other than that, I thought I threw the ball well.”
Senga soon?
Kodai Senga is scheduled to throw 60 to 65 pitches for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, close to the minimum range of 75 to 80 the Mets want from him in his return to the majors.
Asked if Senga’s start after that could be in the majors, Mendoza said, “That’s still TBD.” He didn’t rule it out.
‘Tough league’
After each hit two home runs Friday, Jose Iglesias and Harrison Bader were out of the starting lineup Saturday.
“Tough league, huh?” Mendoza said. “Each case is unique.”
With Bader, who has a lengthy injury history, the Mets continue to be careful with his neck after his collision with an outfield wall last week. Iglesias still is recovering from a recent bout with the flu.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
