When Dominic Smith opted out of his minor-league deal with the Rays on May 1st and signed with the Red Sox, he was viewed as nothing more than a stopgap. If we’re being honest, he wasn’t even viewed as their best addition with Garrett Cooper being dealt for at the same time. Just over 3 months later, he’s become a crucial figure in the clubhouse and has played a part in the Red Sox exceeding everyone’s expectations.

Smith’s slash line of .235/.317/.397/.771 in 77 games doesn’t jump off the screen and neither does his 97 wRC+ or 6 homers. He went through a rough May as he found his footing in Boston, but he’s been a much different player since the start of June. Over 172 plate appearances from June 1st through August 10th, he’s mashing to the tune of .255/.337/.458/.795 for a 118 wRC+.

Along with his bat continuing to surge, Smith has also brought stability with his glove, which isn’t something to overlook with the Red Sox always on the verge of a defensive funk. He currently ranks in the 72nd percentile for Outs Above Average, despite being part of an infield that has had plenty of moving parts. Defensive Runs Saved is a bit more negative on his work with a -2 mark, but either way, it shows he hasn’t been some type of albatross at the position.

Off the field, Smith’s impact seems to be as significant as what he’s been doing on the field. Along with Rob Refsnyder, he’s been mentioned as one of the leaders who have helped shape the relentless identity of this team. That was badly needed after the departure of Justin Turner, with Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran still growing into their roles as leaders for the franchise.

• Alex Cora told the media on Saturday that they don’t expect Casas back on this homestand, so that points to him returning against the Orioles this weekend. His rehab assignment can’t go past August 17th. So far, it doesn’t seem like his bat has missed a beat, as he’s rocking a .286/.375/.464/.839 line with 5 doubles in only 7 games.

  That means in the next week the Red Sox need to make a decision on Smith. As a left-handed bat, he doesn’t fit as a typical back-up for Casas since he wouldn’t be an intriguing option against a tough left-handed starter. Still, it feels extremely risky to let Smith go through waivers with another team starving to jump on the production he’s given the Red Sox this season.

  To Smith’s credit, he hasn’t been a disaster against left-handed pitching in 2024, but the Red Sox have mostly protected him from it. He’s registered a line of .256/.289/.419/.708 in 45 plate appearances for a 91 wRC+. That’s right in line with his career numbers against southpaws, which has him at .255/.325/.368/.693 with a 92 wRC+.

  Casas doesn’t feel like a sure bet in any sense right now due to the type of injury he’s dealing with. He made it clear to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe that he’s dealing with an uptick in pain since starting to swing in games again as well. Who knows if he’s only another swing away from a setback that would leave the Red Sox with no insurance at the position down the stretch.

  Tyler Milliken ⚾️ on X (formerly Twitter): "DOM SMITH GOES BACK TO BACK WITH WILYER ABREU!11-2 JUST LIKE THAT!This team keeps making a statement to the front office. Don't stop. pic.twitter.com/ZM7brwzwZt / X"

  DOM SMITH GOES BACK TO BACK WITH WILYER ABREU!11-2 JUST LIKE THAT!This team keeps making a statement to the front office. Don't stop. pic.twitter.com/ZM7brwzwZt

• There aren’t many alternatives at first base if Smith isn’t in the organization. Nathan Hickey isn’t a big league option in AAA and don’t even get me started about Bobby Dalbec. Romy Gonzalez, Nick Sogard, Connor Wong, Mickey Gasper, and maybe Rob Refsnyder would become the next options, with none of them being anywhere close to experienced at the position.

  Now, maybe those concerns lessen if Casas returns and he’s lighting the world on fire without any issues. But more likely than not, Casas is going to need to get his legs underneath him, which is where some playing time could open up for Smith. As the Red Sox navigate that period, it should get them pretty close to September 1st when rosters expand from 26 to 28.

  In order to make things work right now though, someone needs to be optioned down to AAA. Sogard has done nothing to deserve a demotion (127 wRC+), but he feels like the most likely candidate in this situation, since it allows the Red Sox to maintain their depth and Gonzalez works as a platoon partner with David Hamilton at second base. If Smith is going to be on the roster, he can only help out at first base (hasn’t played left field since 2020), so this allows Gonzalez to still get a fair chunk of playing time with his ability to demolish lefties.

  Once rosters expand, the Red Sox will have the option of bringing Sogard back if they please, and it allows them some more time to reassess the roster. At that point, the bench will include some combination of Refsnyder, Danny Jansen, Gonzalez, Sogard, and Smith. Trevor Story’s return could complicate this entire conversation, but he’s still quite a ways away from becoming a factor in this equation.

  There’s no denying that keeping Smith is somewhat of an imperfect fit, but pulling him out of the clubhouse and weakening your depth at first base seems like two unnecessary blows right now. I’m curious to see if he’s actually unlocked something permanent at the plate as well, with Hitting Coach Pete Fatse’s recent work to help channel his swing mechanics from high school. It’s easy to forget that Smith was tearing up the big leagues back in 2020, which seemingly put him on the Red Sox radar back in 2022.

  So, here I am standing tall and saying we need more Big Dom Smith Moments. Never thought I’d be saying anything like that on Opening Day. It goes to show the impact of Craig Breslow not sitting on his hands when Casas got hurt and the type of message it can send to the guys in that clubhouse.

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