Red Sox Reliever Carson Smith’s 2018 Season Is Over
Red Sox reliever Carson Smith will undergo a shoulder surgery that will effectively end his 2018 season, Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced Tuesday.
This is the predictable end to what was a ridiculous situation with Smith, Cora, and the Red Sox.
Frustrated with his May 14 outing, Smith returned to the Boston dugout and threw his glove in anger. His shoulder popped out of place on that throw, and Smith’s reaction confirmed that he knew it right away. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Smith essentially tried to blame Cora for the injury, saying that he was overworked.
Cora bluntly denied that claim, and said that the Sox regularly check in with their pitchers to avoid just that. Smith was also the third-least utilized reliever at the time of the injury, and the least utilized ‘regular’ of Cora’s bullpen.
The 6-foot-6 Smith has been in the Red Sox organization for three seasons, but due to injury has pitched just 23.2 innings with a 2.66 ERA in 29 total appearances. Smith missed most of the 2016 and 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery, and has not pitched since that aforementioned glove toss on May 14.
Smith is arbitration-eligible this offseason, and could be back for another go with the Red Sox given the fact that he won’t get much of — if any — a bump from his current $850,000 per year salary.
In the meantime, Smith resides in some truly elite company with his dumb-as-hell injury.
