Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
According to the team’s transactions page, the New York Mets have placed first baseman/designated hitter Dominic Smith on the injured list, retroactive to Sunday (7/17).
Smith was forced to leave game one of Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs in the top of the tenth inning after he twisted his ankle heading back into second base.
Following Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 loss in the series finale, Mets manager Buck Showalter said the swelling in Smith’s ankle had lessened a bit but he’d be headed for more imaging back in New York. It appears the injury was a bit more serious than they thought and Smith will miss some time.
With the trade deadline right around the corner, this certainly is not ideal for a Mets team that has been shopping Smith for quite some time now. As recently noted by Robert Murray of Fansided, the Mets have engaged with the Red Sox, Cubs, and other teams regarding the lefty.
Much like last season, the 2022 campaign has been a frustrating one for Smith. He struggled early on and as a result, was ultimately sent back down to Triple-A Syracuse. Smith has shown some flashes since returning but still hasn’t homered and has a .560 OPS on the year.
The Mets have not yet announced a corresponding roster move. Perhaps this will finally lead to top prospect Mark Vientos getting a shot with the big league club. The youngster appeared in the Futures Game this past weekend and has 16 home runs and a .837 OPS this season.
