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Recent Free Agent Pickup is Helping the Injury Ridden Red Sox

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The Boston Red Sox have dealt with a multitude of injuries thus far this season. Starting pitchers Garrett Whitlock and Lucas Giolito are out for the season. Important rookies including Wilyer Abreu have missed time. High-paid piece Trevor Story has barely seen the field. First baseman Triston Casas hasn’t played in over two months. Boston, trying to plug many holes, has been forced to sign multiple players. Most of them haven’t panned out but one infielder is doing his part. Recent pickup Dominic Smith is helping bridge Boston’s injury gap at first base while Casas continues to rehab.

Dominic Smith and Boston’s First Base Dilemma

Smith began the year with the Tampa Bay Rays organization, playing for Triple-A Durham. After batting .263 in 21 games, Smith believed he was worth more than the minors. He was granted a release by the Rays on April 30. The next day, Smith signed as a free agent with the Red Sox in a time of need. Casas had strained his left rib on April 20 during a swing. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list a week later. Boston needed a first baseman bat fast. That came in the form of Smith and Garrett Cooper. 

Both players split time at the position in the early days of Casas’ absence. Cooper, like Smith, had recently been let go from another major league organization. He arrived in Boston after being traded for cash from the Chicago Cubs. Cooper batted .270 in Chicago, which wasn’t enough to keep him on the roster. The Red Sox hoped similar production would continue from the veteran. 

That wasn’t the case for Cooper though. Smith outperformed the 33-year-old while Cooper batted .171 with a .456 OPS. It didn’t take long for Boston to give up on Cooper as he was designated for assignment on June 11. After finding no takers in the trade market, he was released three days later. That left Smith as really the only pure first baseman on the Red Sox roster. Since his release, Cooper has signed a minor-league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. 

Dominic Smith Helping Bridge Boston’s Injury Gap

Things weren’t necessarily pretty to start for Smith once he made his Red Sox debut. He had four hits in his first four contests but then failed to record one in his next five. His average barely eclipsed .200 in late May before falling to .198 entering June. It seemed that Smith was more of a hole in the lineup like Cooper was before his release. Smith ended May with an OPS below .600. There were a few bright spots, but nothing to get the front office up on its feet.

Things began changing in June, however. After tallying just 16 hits in May, Smith had seven in his first five games of the new month. He quickly raised his average to .232. Although a quick blip ensued, he’s still been a better hitter in June. His current season statistics, as of June 25, include a .221 average, .325 on-base percentage, and .336 slugging. That isn’t pretty on the surface, but diving into his specific numbers over the last 15 contests paints a brighter picture.

Smith Has Improved Over the Weeks

Smith has appeared in 18 games in June. Over his last 15, he’s been one of Boston’s better hitters. Smith is batting a strong .275 with a .808 OPS since June 5. In his 40 at-bats, he’s been on base 18 times, putting his on-base number above .400. Smith has consistently batted toward the bottom of the lineup during his recent stretch. That hasn’t mattered, though. He’s been able to help win games and, more importantly, provide above-par production from a position that was begging to be taken. 

Smith performed strongly on back-to-back days in early June. On June 5, he recorded two hits (one of which was a double), an RBI, and a walk against the Atlanta Braves. The next day, he upped his performance to three hits and two RBI. Those two games were something that the Red Sox hadn’t seen out of a first baseman in a long time. Smith had his third multi-hit matchup of the month on June 18 against the Toronto Blue Jays. His overall numbers in June sit at .260/.393/.420. 

What Will Happen to Smith?

Smith’s future rests mostly on what happens with Casas who remains out. It’s currently unclear exactly when the youngster will return, with Casas recently getting an MRI to help paint a better picture. Once Casas comes back, Smith’s role will diminish immediately. Boston could keep him around for a veteran presence or a spark off the bench. But, by then, Smith’s job will be done.

Smith wasn’t brought in to revolutionize the Red Sox offense for the entire season. He was, and still is, used as a short-term option to help cope with Casas’ injury. That’s not an easy position to be in, knowing that your playing time depends directly on the health of another. However, Smith has certainly tried to make the most of his opportunity in June. It hasn’t always been pretty, but Smith is doing just a fine job bridging the injury gap for Boston. 

Main Photo: © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

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