Mets right-hander Drew Smith experienced forearm tightness while playing catch on Wednesday afternoon and is currently undergoing imaging to determine the extent of the injury. Manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned that the team is not overly concerned at the moment, but they will need to wait for the results before deciding on any potential injured list stint.
The Mets are not expected to make any roster moves before their game against the Yankees on Wednesday. If Smith is unable to play as expected, they will be missing both him and Edwin Diaz, leaving them with two relievers short. It is likely that the injury occurred as a result of Smith’s unexpected outing on Sunday night in Chicago, where he had to quickly warm up on short notice in place of Diaz.
During the appearance on Sunday, Mendoza and trainers spoke with Smith after he recorded two outs and eventually pulled him after allowing a single to Dansby Swanson. Smith mentioned that he had difficulty getting loose during that outing, which may have led to the subsequent tightness in his forearm. The team will need to wait for the MRI results to determine the next steps in his recovery.
Smith had previously missed time this season due to a shoulder injury but has performed well since returning, boasting a 3.06 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 19 appearances. It remains to be seen how long he may be out of action this time due to the forearm issues.