Careers in baseball are rarely guaranteed. When righty Drew Smith of the New York Mets traded in the bright lights of Citi Field for the sterile glare of an operating room in mid-July 2024, it served as a harsh reminder.
A promising season cut short. A prospective multi-year contract canceled. Suddenly, everything came to a stop.
Now, the 31-year-old right-hander is inching his way back from Tommy John surgery—this time, with an internal brace inserted for extra stability.
The fire hasn’t gone out either. The Mets reliever is doing more than rehabbing. He’s demonstrating he still belongs.
Halfway up the hill, fully locked in
Earlier this week, Smith hit a notable rehab milestone: 10 pitches from halfway up the mound. That may seem minor to outsiders, but for a pitcher post-surgery, it’s tremendous.
Like hiking halfway up Everest, every inch forward means months of suffering, patience, and determination.
Smith anticipates being able to pitch from the top of the mound in a few weeks if all goes according to plan. Rehab games may start by late summer, which is a crucial step before returning to the major league bullpen.
Due to their less taxing workloads, relievers typically recover from Tommy John procedures more quickly than starters. There’s no need to build up to six innings or 90 pitches. Smith’s specialty is doing a small number of clean outs at a time.
Reliable when healthy, and the numbers prove it
One of the Mets’ most reliable middle relievers when healthy is Drew Smith. By any bullpen statistic, his lifetime ERA of 3.48 is respectable.
Additionally, he was dominating with a 3.06 ERA over 17.2 innings prior to his 2024 campaign being tragically cut short.
Any club would value that sort of output from a middle reliever, particularly one who is aware of and accepts his job.
Smith has been a bullpen mainstay, providing consistency even throughout the Mets’ poor season, with the exception of one start in 2021.
One-year deal, big potential reward
Smith appeared ready for a longer-term deal in the summer before to the injury. He instead agreed to a one-year contract with a 2026 club option, which was a wise choice for both parties.
It’s low-risk depth for the Mets. Smith sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate that he is not finished yet.
The Mets are very thrilled about the possibility of Smith returning in the future.
Smith’s return could provide depth to the Mets’ bullpen
This season, the Mets bullpen has taken a lot of hits. A lack of depth, injuries, and inconsistent performance have made things more difficult, but the unit has persevered.
Even in a small capacity, Smith’s return may provide much-needed peace.
He isn’t ostentatious. He won’t get headline highlight reels or radar readings of 100 mph. But when the terrain becomes difficult, he keeps things going, much like a dependable middle gear on a mountain bike.
That is crucial for a team striving for stability.
A rehab worth rooting for
There are many comeback tales in baseball. However, a guy like Smith has a very grounded quality. He is after the opportunity to pitch another clean inning, not Cy Youngs or MVPs. That grit, that humility, strikes a chord.
Supporting the underdog is simple. When the underdog has previously shown that he can get outs in the world’s top league, it’s even simpler.
Now, as Drew Smith slowly makes his way back up the mound, each pitch serves as a reminder that while setbacks might cause you to lag, they don’t define you.
