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The Rays and Royals “might have curiosity”in free agent slugger Dominic Smith, in response to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Smith was just lately non-tendered by the Mets after a disappointing marketing campaign in 2022.
Two years in the past such a transfer would have been unfathomable after Smith slashed .316/.377/.616 with ten house runs within the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, incomes down-ballot NL MVP votes for his efforts. Nonetheless, it’s been a tricky slide for the 27-year-old who’s been value a mixed -1.1 fWAR within the two seasons since.
The start of that slide got here final yr, when Smith performed by means of {a partially} torn labrum in his shoulder and hit simply .244/.304/.363 with 11 house runs. His struggles continued into 2022 as he battled for normal taking part in time, he ended up splitting time between Triple-A and the massive leagues. With the Mets, he’d end up hitting .194/.276/.286 with no single house run, good for a wRC+ of simply 67. He went rather a lot higher at Triple-A, slashing .284/.367/.472 with ten house runs in 54 video games.
The Mets’ determination to non-tender him drew to an in depth and underwhelming time in Queens for a participant who was drafted eleventh general in 2013 and repeatedly featured on top-100 prospect lists. His mixed 150 wRC+ over the 2019 and 2020 campaigns confirmed Smith had the expertise to excel on the highest degree, however emergence of Pete Alonso blocked Smith at first base and he needed to spend a good bit of time within the outfield, the place he graded out poorly.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz pegged Smith for a $4MM wage in arbitration, so given his age, expertise and low-cost it’s not stunning to see a few smaller market groups linked to him. The extreme drop in energy since his shoulder issues is a giant concern, however he had a robust line at Triple-A and it’s potential he’d profit from the common taking part in time he usually discovered onerous to come back by in New York.
For the Rays, the necessity at first base is clear after they traded Ji-Man Choi to the Pirates early within the low season. Smith might take over as Tampa Bay’s on a regular basis first baseman, whereas filling in within the outfield and at designated hitter when wanted.
It’s much less apparent in Kansas Metropolis, the place the emergence of rookie Vinnie Pasquantino at first base makes the addition of one other left handed slugger much less necessary. After all, the Royals don’t presently have a transparent DH possibility, and Smith might properly spend time there whereas spelling Pasquantino at first base from time-to-time, however they do even have left handed hitter Ryan O’Hearn, and Salvador Perez will probably spend time on the DH spot shifting ahead, so there’s not a transparent want for a hitter like Smith.
There’s no assure Smith would carry out like a starter for both staff, even when they’re keen to supply him common taking part in time. Nonetheless, there’s loads of upside for the buying staff, which might additionally management him through arbitration for the 2024 season, whereas the probably insignificant monetary value would make parting methods a bit extra palatable if Smith have been to proceed his struggles to start the season.
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