Mets Right-Hander Drew Smith Injured During Unplanned Appearance; Team Awaits Imaging Results

Mets right-hander Drew Smith is currently undergoing imaging after experiencing forearm tightness while playing catch on Wednesday afternoon, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The team is not overly concerned at this point, but they are waiting for the results of the imaging before making any decisions regarding a potential stint on the injured list. Despite Smith’s situation, the club does not anticipate making any roster moves ahead of their game against the Yankees on Wednesday. If Smith is unable to play as expected, they will be down two relievers without him and Edwin Diaz.

Mendoza stated that Smith did not specifically mention anything from Sunday’s game, but he experienced tightness in his arm over the past two days. The injury likely stems from an unexpected outing on Sunday night in Chicago when Smith had to quickly warm up to replace the ejected Diaz. Mendoza and the trainers spoke with Smith after he recorded two outs, and although he stayed in the game, he was eventually pulled after allowing a hit to Dansby Swanson. Smith later mentioned to reporters that he struggled to get loose during the appearance after having to hastily warm up in Diaz’s place.

Smith had previously missed time earlier in the season due to a shoulder injury, but he had been successful since returning with a solid 3.06 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 19 appearances. The team will have to wait for the MRI results to determine the severity of Smith’s latest issue.