UPDATE:
Carson Smith MRI results: strain of flexor mass muscle. Will go on DL. Expected to pitch this year, no timetable available.
— Michael Silverman (@MikeSilvermanBB) March 22, 2016
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Carson Smith was one of Dave Dombrowski's big acquisitions for the Boston Red Sox this offseason. However, the right-hander left yesterday's spring training game with forearm tightness and he's set to undergo tests to identify the potential problem.
The 26-year-old reliever was expected to fortify the back end of Boston's bullpen. Smith spent his first two MLB seasons with the Seattle Mariners and owns a 2.07 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 79 games (78-1/3 innings) over that span, with last year being his first full MLB campaign. The Red Sox acquired him and fellow pitcher Roenis Elias in exchange for Wade Miley earlier in the offseason.
Smith said he underwent some tests and "there were optimistic results," but he said he's be surprised if he doesn't get an MRI in the immediate future. This is the first time Smith has experience forearm tightness and he could miss the entire season if it's a significant injury. Either way, one would assume there's at least going to be some extensive rehab regarding the tightness/cramping.
If Smith were to miss significant time it would be a major blow to the Red Sox bullpen, which ranked 26th in ERA (4.24) last season. Dombrowski was hired to improve the pitching staff since it was one of the worst in the MLB in 2015, and he did just that by acquiring Smith, closer Craig Kimbrel and ace David Price.
Although Smith was far from the headliner of that trio, his loss will be enormous as the Red Sox will have to rely most on last year's bullpen unit, which includes Koji Uehara (2.23 ERA in 2015), Junichi Tarawa (4.14 ERA), Robbie Ross Jr. (3.86 ERA) and others. Kimbrel handling the closer role will undoubtedly propel the unit higher up the ranks, but Smith was expected to be part of a threatening trio with Uehara as well.
If Smith is indeed lost for the season (we'll be keeping updates on that), the Red Sox have some options to replace him. The club has a number of starters that may not make the rotation (Elias, Steven Wright, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson), but could perhaps undertake a relief role. The team also signed former star reliever Carlos Marmol to a minor league contract and he's given up just one earned run in four appearances this spring.
We also discussed yesterday that a number of MLB clubs could be interested in Boston's catching depth. If that were to be the case, Dombrowski could trade one of his catchers for another reliever and replace Smith without taking a big hit to the roster.
Stay tuned for updates on Smith as well as Boston's plan to fill the potential void.
