Mets right-handed Drew Smith is likely headed for a second Tommy John surgery after an initial MRI on his right elbow revealed he has “significant ligament damage.”
Smith told reporters on Friday that he first felt something in his elbow during his Friday afternoon walk in Chicago, but thought that after undergoing treatment the next day the problem would simply go away.
Instead, the right was forced to advance quickly before another appearance when Edwin Diaz he was ejected from Sunday’s game and, after having trouble freeing himself, he knew the damage had already been done.
Smith officially entered the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday’s Subway Series finale against the Yankees and underwent imaging tests that revealed the worst.
The team is still seeking a second opinion to confirm the difficult news, but based on the outlook from primary testing, it appears their season may be coming to a disappointing end.
The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Smith, as he is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason, so now his future in the Big Apple is a question mark.
“It really hurts,” he said. “It sucks, man, this will be my second. I’ve been with the Mets for a long time and I love this organization, they’ve done a lot for me over the years.
“Going into free agency, it’s a tough time for that to happen, but there’s never a good time for that to happen. I loved my time here, I don’t know if it’s over, obviously, but it could be, and it sucks to see it end like this.”
Although Smith has had his share of ups and downs along the way, he has established himself as a solid mid-to-high leverage reliever over his six years with the club, pitching to a 3.48 ERA and a 1.0 WHIP. 27.
