Dominic Smith hit a high-water mark in his young career last night in the New York Mets 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
His eighth-inning, game-tying opposite-field home run was a spark that the player and the team alike have likely been waiting to see.
His sparkling play at first in the top half of that eighth inning, his natural position for those who may have been wondering, was a breath of fresh air for fans who have been clamoring for an actual first-baseman to make actual first-baseman plays.
Mets skipper Mickey Callaway spoke quite glowingly of the 23-year-old Los Angeles native after the game, to Erin Fish of MLB.com.
“[The home run] was really big. He put a great swing on the ball, drove it through the opposite gap off a great pitcher,” he said. “[Smith] said earlier in the game, ‘I’m going to get this guy’, and he went out there and did it.”
“So it’s really good to see. I think that he’s got a sweet swing, he made some great plays at first (Callaway said, “It was probably one of the hardest picks I’ve ever seen”), so he’s got a bright future.”
“We’ve just got to continue to push him […] and make sure that we get to see him as much as possible this September, and that’s going to be a challenge because of who we have.”
Even Smith seemed to be pleased with his performance.
“I just feel really confident in my last couple of [at-bats]. I feel good up there at the plate. I feel like my swing is at its best it’s been all year right now. Now I just have to keep working every day and keep grinding.”
Since being recalled on Sept 4, Smith has gone 2-for-6 with a home run and just one strikeout and is slashing .205/.233./410 on the year.
Smith is a former first-round draft pick (2013, 11th overall) who has made his fair share of appearances at the major league level, only to be continuously blocked by players who don’t share his potential ceiling as a ballplayer, or natural ability to play first base.
Hopefully, Friday night’s performance will propel him through the final weeks of the season, allowing him to make the most of the limited opportunities he is slated to receive.
