Red Sox: Life after Carson Smith
By Tyler Mason
Carson Smith will undergo Tommy John surgery, which leads to the question of whether or not the Red Sox will make a trade for a power arm in the bullpen.
Well, it’s the nightmare every Red Sox fan wasn’t hoping for. Ever since Boston Red Sox offseason signee Carson Smith experienced “forearm tightness” during Spring Training, people knew what was going to happen next. The injury that can ruin pitcher’s dreams. Tommy John surgery.
After today’s announcement that Smith will undergo Tommy John surgery, Red Sox Nation is beginning to wonder what the team will do with the bullpen they have now.
To be honest, it won’t be surprising if we see the Sox do absolutely nothing, since the 26-year old righty only appeared in 3 games so far in 2016. And the bullpen without Smith hasn’t been bad at all, having the 5th best ERA in the American League.
But no one, especially myself, can tell the future. With that being said, no one knows how the bullpen will be at the trade deadline. If another player like Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara, or (knock on wood) Craig Kimbrel goes down, the Sox are going to have to get a late inning arm for the second half of the season, where they will hopefully be fighting for a playoff spot.
More from Red Sox News
- Conflicting report about Mookie Betts trade paints Chaim Bloom in even worse light
- Boston Red Sox setting Trevor Story up for failure amidst Xander Bogaert departure
- Red Sox missed perfect free-agent signing to torment Yankees
- Red Sox finally get validation after Andrew Benintendi-White Sox contract
- Red Sox fans’ concern about Justin Turner signing speaks volumes
In the past, the Red Sox haven’t had the best of luck during the trade deadline when they tried to get a big weapon for the ‘pen, especially during two of their championship seasons.
In 2007, the Red Sox seemed to make a huge splash at the trade deadline when they made a deal with the Rangers that sent OF David Murphy, LHP Kason Gabbard, and OF Engel Beltre to Texas for former Cy Young closer, Eric Gagne. In the first half of the season for Texas, Gagne posted a 2.16 ERA and collected 16 saves. This made people believe that he and current closer at the time, Jonathan Papelbon, the most dangerous 8th-9th inning duo in all of baseball.
Gagne was straight up garbage.
After having a 6.75 ERA during the second half of the season for the Sox, he only played for one more season and then called it quits. Even though he has a 2007 championship ring doesn’t mean he can really say he did much to help them get it.
More from BoSox Injection
- Conflicting report about Mookie Betts trade paints Chaim Bloom in even worse light
- Boston Red Sox setting Trevor Story up for failure amidst Xander Bogaert departure
- Red Sox missed perfect free-agent signing to torment Yankees
- Red Sox finally get validation after Andrew Benintendi-White Sox contract
- Red Sox fans’ concern about Justin Turner signing speaks volumes
In 2013, when the Red Sox were in the hunt for a playoff spot, they decided to trade away minor league outfielder Brandon Jacobs for former All-Star LHP Matt Thornton from the Chicago White Sox. At the time, it seemed like a great deal because Thornton had great success coming out of the bullpen and getting lefties out. Left-handed batters had a .235 batting average against Thornton in 2013, which had Red Sox Nation thinking that they just got a big weapon for their bullpen going into the second half of the season.
Thornton really never shined during his short stint in Boston. In the first half of the season with Chicago, hitters had a .250 batting average against Thornton. When he went to Boston, hitters had a .344 batting average.
In the end, Thornton didn’t make one appearance in the 2013 playoffs. And after the World Series celebration, he signed with the New York Yankees. Thornton last pitched in the big leagues last season for the Washington Nationals.
Next: Red Sox look to continue winning at Fenway
Even thought the Red Sox have had a troubling past with signing relievers during the trade deadline, you’d have to think that with their stacked farm system, they can pull something off with a team to hopefully bring a big time arm to Boston. If they do just that, then it could put them over the top for the second half of the season.