Smith makes his pitch for postseason job
BALTIMORE — When the Red Sox bullpen door opened in the 11th inning Monday night, Carson Smith emerged as an unexpected, less-than-ideal option to hold a two-run lead against the Orioles.
In the previous two years, Smith pitched in six big league games, and he hadn’t recorded a save since 2015.
“I’m not sure many Red Sox fans, players or staff know that I’ve been in that situation before,” Smith said. “But at one point, that’s what I did. I was just fortunate to come across that opportunity (Monday) night.
“I was happy to seal it off for the team.”
Call it the finest hour of Smith’s frustrating two years with the Red Sox, most spent recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was the ninth relief pitcher used in the game, and one of only two, along with Craig Kimbrel, to pitch a clean inning.
He delivered a follow-up performance last night with back-to-back strikeouts to finish off the seventh inning, and now, as the Sox come down the stretch trying to sort out the final spots in their postseason bullpen, Smith just might have given them something to think about.
They traded for him two years ago envisioning a late-inning setup man. His hard sinker and unusual arm angle give a different look compared to their other right-handed relievers. And now he’s starting to show some consistency and durability.
Could Smith miss five months of the season and still make the playoff roster?
“I think it’s very possible,” manager John Farrell said before last night’s game. “The more outings like (Monday) night, that was a very powerful inning. That was a very good inning. Particularly against a very productive, right-handed-hitting lineup that handles right-handed pitching well. That late action putting the ball on the ground is pivotal.”
With Smith getting his fastball up to 94 mph, and after 32⁄3 scoreless innings since being activated earlier this month, Farrell considers Smith a real possibility for a postseason spot, which would have been difficult to believe a month ago when Smith was still working through an extended rehab process.
“I’m not going to say everything is picture-perfect to what it was before,” Smith said. “But I’m confident with what I have, and I also believe that the more opportunities I get, the better off I’ll be and the better I’ll get.”
Right-handers Kimbrel, Addison Reed and Joe Kelly seem locked into postseason jobs. Robby Scott and David Price likely are locks from the left side. That leaves two or three spots from a large group of candidates: Matt Barnes, Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, Blaine Boyer, Austin Maddox, Fernando Abad and perhaps a starter who doesn’t make the postseason rotation.
At various times this season, Barnes and Workman appeared to be good front-runners for a roster spot.
Then there’s Smith, whom the Red Sox acquired in a significant offseason trade heading into the 2016 season when he was coming off a 2.31 ERA and 13 saves as a Mariners rookie. He was hurt after three appearances last season, so the team has yet to see the type of pitcher they meant to acquire.
Monday night, though, was a glimpse.
“By far his best (outing of the year),” Farrell said. “Just the overall command, and the consistent location and the power to his stuff. That was pretty close to where he was pre-surgery.”
It was a reminder to everyone, including Smith, that the Red Sox have one more experienced lateinning arm to consider.
“Just to go out there and pound the strike zone with confidence against a good part of their lineup was comforting,” Smith said. “I think any bullpen pitcher can tell you it’s tough to pitch in a game when it’s 11-1. Adrenaline isn’t flowing as much. Not much on the line. I live for those moments when the game’s on the line, and I was fortunate to have an opportunity.”